Buying tools is an addiction to some. The seemingly endless utility of these objects designed to enhance our lives and abilities can be intoxicating. Hence why even when we don’t need them, new (and new to us) tools find their way into passenger seats, truck beds, and backpacks as the artfully organized cache in my workspace grows and grows. I could probably just name my toolbox Audrey II, though my garage is only occasionally full of horrors, and the ‘box feeds on tool steel and carbide rather than human flesh.

My toolbox is not overflowing, but that only speaks to my self-restraint and judicious control over how often the solution to a problem is using the credit card versus my brain. We all want to own one of every tool. They are just fascinating. But even with one of everything, we would likely still want more. Some jobs simply require duplicates. Or at least I have convinced myself that occasionally having two of the exact same tool is the solution to my problems. Whether the logic makes sense or not, here are seven tools that I must have two of inside my shop:

Vice grips/clamps

Despite years of trying and a few consultations with my doctor, I have yet to grow a third hand. Something about evolution taking millions of generations just really puts a damper on me getting the extra holding power I could use most days.

Luckily, not only does a solution exist, but it’s affordable and easy to store. Years ago I resigned that anything that is locking or clamping should be purchased in pairs. This realization followed a discussion with a fabricator friend who hammered into me that it is impossible to have too many clamps. He was right.

Screwdrivers

To be clear, I’m dialing in the discussion of duplicates to exact duplicates. Two of the same tool. My drawer full of screwdrivers is surprisingly full when you consider there are relatively few popular styles and a minimal number of usable lengths.

Maybe it’s my use, but I always fear damaging a screwdriver tip just as much as damaging the hardware. A damaged screwdriver stalls a project as once the head is stripped the options for removal get destructive quickly. A spare screwdriver is a security blanket I shouldn’t need, but won’t wrench without.

10mm

You thought I wouldn’t include a 10mm joke? Impossible. A lot of my projects these days were built in countries that believe in base 10 measurement systems. If you have a more American bent to your tooling needs this might be the 1/2″. Regardless, not having a 10mm socket or wrench could easily stop a few of my projects in their tracks, thus duplicates make sense.

Extensions

The easiest to justify on this list might be the extensions for a socket set. Stack them on each other to reach the depths of the engine bay that was previously reserved for engine-out services. It’s also convenient to have multiple to so I’m not constantly disassembling my tooling mid-job.

Wire brushes and cleaning supplies

Cleaning parts is one of the tasks that I do not seek out and only after some time have I figure out that any tiny roadblock in the process will flip the switch in my brain that says “not worth it. Just reinstall the part as is. It’ll be fine.”

But I want to do higher quality work than that, so having a surplus of cleaning supplies and materials has helped eliminate the feeling that cleaning things has a barrier that must be met. I keep these brushes and supplies around to not only remove the perceived barrier but ensure that it does not return unexpectedly.

Flashlights

Having worked on cars in situations ranging from ideal to downright dangerous, I’ll say one thing I have never heard is, “Wow, it’s too bright. I can see everything I need and it’s frustrating.” No, more light is often a cure for frustrations while working on cars. Small LED flashlights have gotten downright cheap, so a few in various sizes, shapes, brightness, and magnetism are just downright handy. It’s a struggle to work on something you can’t see, so light up your project.

Drill bits

They break and dull, and when you need one there is pretty much nothing else that will do the job. Drill bits are wildly affordable for the function they serve and having a duplicate set, or even just a few of the most commonly used sizes in your shop, allows a certain peace of mind that your projects will move forward even if an unfortunate happenstance breaks a bit. Good setups and usage will make drill bits last a very long time, but it’s not if things go sideways, it’s when. Preparation for that takes a lot of frustration out of your projects.

This is just the list for my shop and, of course, every shop is unique. I typically only have one major project apart or being worked on at a time and the tools go back into the box after each working session. In a larger shop or for someone with many projects running it might make sense to duplicate common tools just so things don’t get lost in the shuffle. What tools do you have to have duplicates of in your toolbox?

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I often think about the bare minimum number of tools required to do a job. Not the ideal tools. Maybe it comes from watching Saturday morning TV shows, where everything took 10 minutes and fit together flawlessly. Watching those projects take shape encouraged me to pick up tools and try my own. But what do you need to just get started? 

If we waited until we had a full toolbox to dive in, none of us would ever get anything done. We’d just be sitting around staring at tools. Instead, let’s take a look at the tools that compose the minimum kit required to safely and successfully tackle a project on a daily driver—or at least allow you to do most of a job and then rent or borrow any specialty tools needed for to complete specific tasks. These don’t need to be fancy tools; in fact, this might be a list of items that are best purchased at garage sales, flea markets, or secondhand stores.

Jack and Stands

Sure, there are a lot of projects that do not require lifting a vehicle, but sooner or later you’ll need to do it. I’ve done oil changes by putting the front wheels on a curb to get enough clearance to roll under and access the drain plug and oil filter, but that practice doesn’t work in all situations. A jack and stands do. These are the right tools for every job that requires lifting a vehicle. That’s why they are something to get early in your wrenching journey.

Screwdrivers

Applied properly, screwdrivers have thousands of uses. We would never tell you to use them improperly, of course, but in a pinch a screwdriver can be used for all sorts of stuff that might very well render them one-time-only tools that, for better or for worse, will get the job done. Screwdrivers also can last a very long time if well taken care of, so adding these to your toolkit early will make for a solid base that rarely needs replacing, which leaves you with funds to buy more specialty tools to grow your kit—or you might just get through a handful of jobs without buying anymore tools at all. That’s a great feeling.

Socket Set

There is a reason every “mechanics toolset” sold in parts stores or home centers has sockets and ratchets as its main component. Ratchets and sockets are a highly efficient method of removing hardware without damaging it. A basic kit is enough to get started, and you can easily add bigger or longer pieces as needed.

Hammer

You thought I wouldn’t include the hammer? It’s an inarguable necessity. Judicious use will make for a better wrenching experience, but when force is required, a mass at the end of a stick is just the right tool for the job.

Multimeter

“If you can’t fix it with a hammer it’s an electrical problem” is a good joke, because occasionally it’s based in fact. Electrical issues are more common than ever as cars feature more and more sensors and connections. To be a mechanic and not a parts replacer requires diagnostic tools, and diagnosing electrical issues is difficult to do consistently with only your eyes and hands. A good multimeter—and understanding how to read it—is vital.

Drain Pan

Want to do an oil change? You’ll need to catch the used oil somehow. Even a makeshift catch pan is good idea, but many of the drain pans designed for automotive projects are affordable and have features that seem trivial, until you are without them: A pour spout makes emptying the pan easier, and the ability to seal the fluids inside for transport is helpful, too. An open container of used oil is just waiting to be knocked over. Or it’s a magnet for tools or parts or worse, a spark. A good drain pan makes jobs cleaner and safer.

Penetrating Oil

Cars are built from a couple dozen different materials and the vast majority of them are susceptible to corrosion. Penetrating oil helps limit the need for big tools like impact drivers. Is an aerosol can technically a tool? Maybe not, but a good can of penetrating oil should be something you reach for before grabbing tools, so we are going to say it’s a critical part of the toolkit. Besides, if you’re limited on tools, you want to be able to stack the deck in your favor, and that means trying to break fasteners loose using science rather than force.

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Any car is an assembly of parts. Since bolted joints are both strong and easy to assemble, just about any service or maintenance on a car or truck requires you to remove some type of bolt. Anyone who has worked on a car for more than three minutes knows that even a larger project is not so bad if the hardware is not difficult to deal with. Those with many years of experience know how difficult corroded and stuck fasteners often give up, but convincing them to surrender requires force. How you generate that force is defined by the severity of the situation. Let’s look at the levels of bolt persuasion, from least to most aggressive, and some of the reasons why they fall in this order.

Level #5: Open-End Wrench

An open end wrench is nothing more than two parallel surfaces that meet two sides of a fastener. This often means only truly gripping near the corners due to tolerance in production of both the hardware and the tool. Sometimes, the fit is plenty tight and less than one foot of leverage is plenty. There is a reason wrenches are standard in every automotive toolkit since people started working on cars; wrenches pack light, are simple to produce, and are durable for many years if not abused. Sure, long-handle versions exist, but most of those are box-end, which means they are basically a worse version of a …

Level #4: Socket and Ratchet

The combination of a socket and a ratchet steps things up in a couple different ways: First, by providing additional contact points with the stuck fastener. Whether 12-point or 6-point, a socket provides more even contact with the fastener, and a ratchet allows us to shift the angle of the lever to maximize the force applied by our muscles. That handle can easily be exchanged for a …

Level #3: Longer Ratchet

The socket is giving us good positive engagement on the hardware, so if it hasn’t moved yet, we must add force. Long-handle ratchets are handy, because it can be difficult to reposition a long wrench multiple times just to rotate a fastener one turn. Sadly, the most helpful part of a ratchet—the rotating head—is also the weak point, and if you treasure your tool you will likely grab one with a longer handle before adding a cheater bar or hitting the handle of your ratchet with a hammer. Sure, you can buy rebuild kits for some ratchets … or you could avoid stripping out the catch pawls inside the head in the first place.

Level #2: Impact Wrench

Leaning your weight on a long lever is one way to impart force. The other is to apply it suddenly with a spinning hammer. That is the basic function of an impact wrench, which generates high amounts of force in short bursts to help break loose the corrosion that forms inside threaded joints. Better yet, impact wrenches are powered by compressed air or by batteries, not by elbow grease, making them the hot ticket when dealing with stuck stuff. The only problem is that the torque capabilities of an impact wrench are limited by design, as the motor, hammer, and anvil can go get so large before the tool becomes unwieldy. You might have to switch back to brute force and grab the …

Level #1: Breaker Bar

At the end of the day, physics always wins. While inconvenient compared to the luxury of an impact wrench, using a long bar to apply torque to a proper-fitting socket is by far the best way to put absurd amounts of torque onto a stuck fastener.

A long enough lever will snap the hardened head off every breaker bar you can find. And that is what you are often hoping for, at this point—the sweet release of tension by any means necessary. Just break already. The drill and tap set are already on the workbench.

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Read all the books you want. Watch all the TV shows and YouTube mechanic videos that have ever been filmed. Sit and have a conversation with everyone who has turned a wrench. You still won’t be a mechanic, because practice and experience cannot be taught.

When younger enthusiasts recount certain adventures (or misadventures) to those with a few more years in the hobby, the seasoned folks will nod along. A mechanic’s rites of passage often need no explaining; by definition, these experiences have become universally accepted as ones that you must encounter and conquer to become proficient.

Which of these 11 rites of passage have you experienced, and which do you think changed you the most?

Rite of Passage #1: Roadside repair with makeshift parts

Whether on the road or in the shop, there comes a time when what you have is all you’ve got, and what you have just needs to work. Gaskets cut out of beer packaging, throttle cables made of shoestrings, or bailing wire on a part or piece that should be properly connected, but isn’t … If you understand a system well enough to engineer a functional fix on the fly, you truly understand how that system works.

Rite of Passage #2: Busted knuckles

You know the bolt is about to break free, so you give it a little extra oomph—and slam your hand into something. Usually, that something is heavy, rusty, or sharp … possibly, all three. Keep a record of your last tetanus shot handy, and know that we’ve all been there. Pulling towards yourself is often safer, except when it comes to cutting tools or other sharp implements.

Rite of Passage #3: Trapped tools

The order of operations during disassembly and assembly is important—but you’ve got to pay attention to your tools, too. We’ve all been in situations when the excitement of a bolt coming loose makes us forget the limited space we’re working with, and suddenly our wrench is trapped between a bolt and a hard place.

Rite of Passage #4: Broken hardware

When a bolt chooses to Marie Antoinette itself, or threads stretch past the plasticity point and become unusable, progress can get tough. The fact of the matter is that rookies are more likely to break hardware, but there is a bit of a bell curve: As you tackle more and more projects, the quality of your work often rises; and then, as you gain confidence to handle the problems you now expect to encounter, the quality of your work tends to dip. Learning new methods for dealing with broken and stuck hardware is a never-ending quest for any wrench, green or seasoned.

Rite of Passage #5: Buying the shop manual

Just about everyone went through a phase when they felt as though they knew everything. Most advance out of such a state to understand that, even with everything they know, the shop manual knows more. Learning just how important and helpful a shop manual can be is often a freeing experience: Buying one is the first step to being self-sufficient because it allows you to solve problems without calling in experts or endlessly searching the web.

Rite of Passage #6: Disappearing parts

How else are you going to learn to organize your shop if you never experience the mildly panicked search for something you sat down right there? Everyone who ever gave you advice about doing DIY work probably told you to bag and tag parts and hardware, but most of us had to learn the benefits of organization the hard way to truly understand them.

Rite of Passage #7: Endless parts search

You saw that cool hunk of metal on the side of the road and just had to have it. Now you got it home and are excited to get to work and … Wait, there are no parts available for this? Sometimes the coolest models are the ones with the most problems and buying one that needs everything without realizing none of the parts exists is the gearhead’s version of falling in love with a crazy person: You often can’t give them what they need, and if you try, you’re going to be doing a lot of work (and probably spending a lot of money).

Rite of Passage #8: First rebuilt engine start-up

The thrum of a well-tuned engine is magnificent, but the stutter and cough of one chugging to life for the first time is even more enthralling. Was everything assembled correctly? Was anything forgotten? How is the combination of parts you chose going to work together? It all becomes clear with the first touch of the key. Weathering that storm of nerves is an experience unlike any other.

Rite of Passage #9: Ruined clothes

It was supposed to be a quick, clean job. Now that pair of jeans that used to be nice is stained with oil. (The situation is even worse if you’ve just ruined a pair of pants that your significant other specifically told you not to wear in the garage.) Typically when doing DIY work you dress to protect, not to impress. Hubris may protest, calling that an obvious truth, but the drawer of “work clothes” indicates we occasionally need a reminder.

Rite of Passage #10: Inclement weather moving in

Having a garage is a luxury that some of us take for granted. Most of us started by working on whatever we had wherever we could: Laying on our backs in gravel driveways, sitting cross-legged on the dirt of the back yard, or even leaning over core supports on the side of the street. If the sun was shining when you started work, your lack of protection from the elements becomes obvious as the clouds gather and the wind picks up. Being soaking wet, cold, and/or dirty while trying to assemble or diagnose your car is not fun, but we all must experience this misery to truly appreciate mild weather and good shelter.

Rite of Passage #11: Fixing what is not broken

The excitement to work on a project is sometimes so great that it must be satiated—even when there is work that needs to be done. I personally recall my father giving me the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” speech while in my early teens; I had just made a mess of the garage floor taking apart something that had worked when I started and, more than likely, would never work correctly again. Poor thing.

Do you have to go through all of these to be a decent mechanic? Of course not, but many of us have experienced most, if not all, of these and more. Think we missed a rite of passage that changed you? Let us know about it in the comments below.

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Most of us treasure the time we spend working on projects. The mental flow state that comes with forcing our minds to mellow out and focus on solely the task at hand can be therapeutic—in the right situation. Every bright light casts a shadow, and every garage holds some tools we hope never to use.

These are the devices that mean our time in the garage is not going well. The steel canaries in the horsepower mine. Projects go sideways just as many times as they go flawlessly, and many of us have various gadgets that serve no purpose until all else has failed.

Here are a few tools that we love to have but hate to reach for.

Tool #1: Tap set

More often than not, forming—or re-forming—threads in a part or piece follows the destruction of those spiraling channels. You’ve probably broken a piece of hardware—or, worst of all, an easy-out. Toss in the fact that taps are very hard, and thus brittle, and you have a very volatile evening of work ahead of you.

When used properly and carefully, a tap set can be a reset button on the life of a part. Even drilling up one size and tapping so that a fastener can have appropriate holding power may be better than replacing the fastener. Sometimes it’s all about perspective.

Tool #2: Spring compressors

The sudden release of potential energy describes a lot of scenarios: The explosion of a firecracker, the expansion of an airbag, and the release of a compressed spring. Each of those can have serious long-term health effects if it happens too close to your person. There are two groups of people who work on automotive suspension: those who are uncomfortable, and those who ignore the forces at play.

Springs and suspension still need to be serviced, though. Carefully inspect and service spring compressors before using them to ensure there is no damage or problems that might pop up. Sometimes just that bit of added confidence is enough to soften the fear factor.

Tool #3: Camshaft locker

It’s not that this tool is so bad; it’s that the consequences of human error when using it are high enough to make us uneasy. Variable camshaft timing has unlocked horsepower that comes with minimal compromises in fuel economy and also drivability. Unfortunately, the technology also makes for more complicated service; replacing a timing chain or belt often requires careful alignment of multiple points while also holding tensioners and gears in proper orientation. The job can be fairly painless, but that doesn’t mean it’s fun.

Tool #4: Air hammer

Percussive force breaks the bonds of rust, and it hammers eardrums just as thoroughly. The compromise can often be easily overcome with a good set of earplugs or over-the-ear muffs, but using an air hammer still isn’t a pleasurable experience. Compared to using the torch, and the chance of lighting everything on fire, it is the lesser of two evils. We don’t love you, air hammer, but, after all these years, we haven’t let you leave the toolbox.

Tool #5: Impact driver

Stripped hardware is the bane of any DIYer’s existence. Even with the proper tools and experience to handle stripped screws and bolts, we don’t want to spend the limited time we have in the garage dealing with them. The combination of driving and turning force delivered by an impact screwdriver can take quickly solve the problem of a partially stripped screw. It can also result in hitting your wrist with a hammer, or create an even bigger problem by snapping a bolt off where you can’t grab it. Often, our opinion of an impact screwdriver is based on how well it worked the last time we used it.

Tool #6: The Big Hammer

You know the one. The handle is slightly stained, and the face features a few chips from that one time you got a little carried away on that ball joint. You probably started addressing the problem at hand with a couple of smaller hammers and, when you realized that things were not going your way, and that you were tired of talking nice, opened the drawer to grab The Big Hammer.

This list is all a matter of opinion and personal experience, so we may have missed one or two here. If you’ve got a tool you avoid reaching for but might not be able to put a finger on why, leave a comment. Consider it an unofficial survey.

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A great number of words have been spilt over the years regarding tools and their use. The utility of objects can be amazing at times. Yet even the greatest tool known to man is borderline useless if you can’t find it, it’s broken, or you have to spend more time digging it out from under other things than actually using it. Enter the toolbox. It’s a humble box of drawers and slides that keeps our beloved tools safe from harm or kidnapping.

It’s also typically the last thing any of us think about. The tools inside are critically important but the thing holding them is merely a cabinet to most casual viewers. It is more than that though, and out of respect for one of the hardest-working non-tool objects in the garage here are some toolbox tune-up tips.

Toolbox Tip #1: Empty out and clean every few years

Sometimes it makes sense to have a bunch of seemingly random stuff in your toolbox. Most of the time it doesn’t. Depending on who you are, how you work, and what you work on, it might be smart to go ahead and make the rule that the only thing that lives in your toolbox is. . . tools.

I say this because I am as guilty as anyone when it comes to finding homes for things I don’t need to be keeping. That includes stuffing any number of trinkets and doo-dads into my toolbox. All of those things inevitably get in the way when I am trying to actually work. As a hobbyist and not a professional mechanic this small amount of time doesn’t amount to much time lost, but dealing with minor inconveniences can stack up and sap some of the joy out of working on your projects.

Toolbox Tip #2: Lube the drawer slides

This only takes a minute with a can of aerosol lubricant to make sure your drawers continue to work like new for years to come. We ask drawers to carry a lot of weight and older slides can use the help to make sure they are not sticking or grinding chunks of dirt or debris into the delicate parts. Extend the slides out fully, blow them off with canned air or an air nozzle, then give them a light spray with a silicone or dry-film lubricant. Grease or oil-based lubes will likely just attract dust so be careful what you grab out of the chemical cabinet.

Toolbox Tip #3: Label the drawers

Most of us have kept everything in the same place for decades but that doesn’t mean it wouldn’t be nice to have reminders from time to time of where that thing you are looking for is. I’ve personally also found that sometimes the brain gets to thinking about something and that one-track mind forgets other tool options I might have that could do a job better. That whole out-of-sight, out-of-mind thing can cost you sometimes.

Labels also allow helpers to assist more easily—both in getting and returning tools. Who doesn’t like the thought of their helper actually assisting with cleanup? If they know where things go, it won’t be just a pile on top of the box.

Toolbox Tip #4: Add power for a charging drawer

We are getting a little luxurious here but stay with us. Battery tools are more popular than ever, and that means chargers are cluttering up our workspace. With a little planning, it is often possible to snake a short extension cord into a drawer via the side or back, which allows the charger to hide inside. Kits featuring motion-rated cables and outlets exist and can be had for reasonable money considering the space they can free up in and around your toolbox. Of course, always monitor charging batteries to lower fire risk.

Toolbox Tip #5: Keep (or make) it mobile

Nothing is more annoying than working on a project that only fits on the other side of your workspace from where your tools are. A rolling cart is a good option, but the ability to roll your entire toolset right to where you need it can be extremely nice. Adding wheels to a toolbox you already own might get clunky, but it is often worth it. Just be sure to use casters appropriate for the weight of a toolbox. Most toolboxes come with wheels but it is always tempting to build or stash them into a corner. Keeping the ability to move your toolbox allows for easily creating ideal working conditions or at least allowing easy reorganization and cleaning of your space.

Toolbox Tip #6: Let it evolve

It’s cool to still have the same box after decades in the garage, but don’t let nostalgia cloud your sanity. What lives where inside or even the toolbox itself is not sacred and replacing or reorganizing can greatly benefit your functionality and productivity. Switching to a larger box that allows better access to the tools you use most elevates your working experience more than most other tool investments. After all, regardless of which tool you are reaching for it is likely inside your toolbox. Before you can use any tools, you have to use your toolbox.

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The evolution of the automobile has been non-stop from the moment Karl Benz first threw the flywheel ’round on his Patent Motorwagen. The technology, process, and tools needed to keep cars running have evolved from the adjustable spanners and flat head screwdrivers to complex, hyper-specific specialized tools that spend more time laying in toolbox drawers than being used. Some old tools have stood the test of time while others have faded from common use.

We are tool hoarders ourselves, and objects designed for utility that are still functional will always have a place in our box but it is interesting to look into the corners of the toolbox and see what tools are getting less and less use over the years. Whether due to an improved design usurping the use of an older tool, or the task a specialty tool was design for becoming less popular due to car construction and use changing, tools evolve as quickly—if not more—than the car itself. Here are seven examples of tools that are no longer the toolbox staples they once were—for better or worse.

Bumper jacks

In a world of bumper covers, the thought of attaching a lifting mechanism to the exterior of your car and using it to lift the vehicle is some type of strange fever dream. It wasn’t always that way though. Flat tires have been around longer than the automobile and the need to pick up the car followed right along. Bumper jacks are good in concept but the lack of any safety catch or stabilization to keep from tipping over makes them treacherous to use. They still have utility in off-road situations but that can also make use even more dangerous.

Verdict: Keep as a reminder of how far we’ve come.

Brake pliers

Somehow in the history of cars, there have been just two types of brakes commonly found behind the wheels: Drum or disc. Drum brakes can provide all the stopping power needed while also wearing like iron thanks to the enclosed and thus relatively debris-free nature of the design. That same design also has a handful of tension springs stretched carefully over small studs that can be serviced with groove-joint pliers and a screwdriver, but there are also brake pliers that rose and slipped from popularity right alongside drum brakes.

With modern materials and the relatively limited use of drum-brake cars, servicing drums has gotten less common to the point that while special tools can make the job easier it is only marginal and certainly not required.

Verdict: Keep them if you’ve got them but can likely pass if building your toolkit.

Growler

We aren’t talking about that curmudgeon of a mechanic who seems to only communicate in grunts and growls as the ratchet clicks to remove parts. No, the growler here is used to test the windings of a motor or generator. The armature is placed on a bed that flows alternating current into the windings. Using a ferrous rod to locate the magnetic field that will be created by a short makes for easy diagnostics. The price drop that came with the mass production and parts sharing between various models relegated these to hobby benches or the back room of specialist shops. Since rebuilding motors or alternators has become rare, these are practically a novelty.

Verdict: Keep if you’ve got the space, but often these find problems that are difficult to source parts to fix.

Vernier caliper

The increase in affordable precision has been quiet but amazing for at-home DIY projects. Good precision measuring devices used to be limited to the hands of skilled technicians and specialists in machine and fabrication shops. It took skill and training to properly use and read items like the vernier scale on calipers used in fabrication and precision machine work. Then digital calipers entered the market and the prices dropped year after year to the point that now a set of calipers accurate enough for most home use can be had for under $50.

Verdict: Use what you like and what works best for you. Regardless of what that is, be sure to keep any and all precision tools stored carefully to prevent damage.

Timing light

When we first wrote about tools that were fading from popularity last year, the comments section lit up with the suggestion that timing lights were left out. It’s been decades since a car rolling off the assembly line featured a tunable distributor, as the ignition is often now controlled by a computer working off data provided by a crankshaft or camshaft position sensor (or both) to control the firing of individual coils for each spark plug and cylinder. Adjusting the timing of the spark in the cylinder is changed with a laptop rather than a wrench and strobe light. Timing lights have been relegated to specialist shops and DIY garages.

Verdict: Keep it if it works, but consider a modern digital light if building a vintage-focused toolset as the features and capability have come a long way since the strobes of old.

Point file

Another from the ignition side of things. Even before computerized ignition was the advent of electronic or non-points-based discharge. Long gone are the days of having to swap a set of points on the side of the road or scratch off the char of the small faces to allow the coil to charge. A points file was handy for if or when a condenser would fail or the points would otherwise get crummy enough to not allow enough current through.

Verdict: If one is already in your glovebox, keep it for nostalgia’s sake and just in case. You never know who it might help.

Brake lathe or shoe arcing machine

Drum brakes often have more swept area compared to disc brakes, but that additional friction material is useless if it is not in contact with the brake surface. The heat retention characteristics of drums can sometimes lead to warping that would previously be cleaned up by “turning” the drums to create a nice concentric surface around the shoes. While drums can still be found on modern cars the drums are often cast so thin that turning them is no longer an option and instead we must skip straight to replacement.

Shoe arcing machines do the same thing as brake lathes but set the radius of the friction material to match that of the drum. It’s critical for good brake performance on some vintage cars but has faded from popularity significantly due to the health concerns of grinding friction materials—especially asbestos.

Verdict: Save if you’ve got the space, or sell to a vintage shop if you don’t. We likely won’t see new versions of these tools made and they so help keep our cars safely going down the road. 

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We’ve already highlighted some of our favorite new products from the 2023 SEMA show that help solve restoration and specific project-car problems, but we left off one big category entirely: tools. Dozens of manufacturers had tools on display, many of which offered new solutions to problems many of us have surely run into during the course of a wrenching session. Some of these tools might not be brand new, but if we were just learning about them, maybe you will too. Here are some that stood out to us, and some we’ll probably be making room for in our garage.

Homak 44-inch RS Pro service cart

Service carts seem to be the most popular segment in tool storage lately, enabling service techs to keep plenty of tools on hand while also being mobile enough to be convenient. They’re also a great option for hobbyists in their home garage. Homak’s new 44-inch service cart adds a side cabinet with a roomy drawer for up to four cordless power tools, which also includes a power strip with four electric outlets and two USB ports to keep batteries charged. This should be able to hold just about everyting you could need for any wrenching job.

LTI Shockit driver set

LTI debuted new versions of its Shockit tool system, which helps remove stubborn fasteners with assistance from an air hammer. It offers flare nut wrenches, crowfoot wrenches, and wrenches meant for tough diesel emissions sensors that get heat cycled into place, but its driver system can help work with tools that you probably already have. Insert the driver into an impact socket and the cast iron eccentric provides a hemispherical dimple to accept LTI’s air hammer punches. This can give you just the shock needed to get fasteners moving. The punches, which vary in length, are available in a three-piece set for about $125, while the driver kit retails for less than $100. We’re already thinking about all the past jobs this could have sped up.

Trulers stainless steel rulers

We spotted all sorts of interesting measuring tools at the Trulers booth. The company offers soft, non-scratching rulers to drape over a car when measuring out stripes, for example. This simple ruler, which retails for $15, includes 1/8-inch holes spaced every quarter inch, making it simple to mark accurate holes for drilling. We can think of plenty of uses for this when fabricating small projects.

Knipex locking spring hose clamp pliers

This is one that might not be new, but we wished we’d known about these sooner. These pliers have limited uses, but they do their job well, opening up spring hose clamps and locking to keep the tension off the clamp for proper positioning. We also got to try Knipex 96 621 190 Wire Rope Cutters meant for cutting steel cable, and they went through easily, without causing any fraying. Likewise, the 95 11 160 StepCut Cable Shears went right through a heavy copper battery cable, leaving a clean cut. After trying these, we’re sure there are plenty of our readers who already swear by Knipex.

Bend-Tech Dragon A250

If you’re building tube frames, roll cages, rocks sliders, or bumpers, the Dragon A250 tube and pipe plasma cutter could be a game-changer. The machine is available in 12-foot and 21-foot models and works with Bend-Tech software to mark tubing or pipe for bends and also cut copes for perfect positioning and welding. The example shown here illustrates how it can also essentially create tongue-and-groove indexing to make sure difficult angles are laid out properly.

Fireball Tool Maximus Clamp

Available in ductile cast iron or forged steel, Fireball Tool’s Maximus clamp uses a 2×1-inch tubing or stock of any length to provide either clamping or spreading force up to 2500 pounds. Unlike pipe clamps, these have a throat depth of more than six inches. These provide plenty of fabrication applications with metal but can also be used for woodworking glue-ups. Fireball Tool also has several cool squares and fabrication tools that you can’t find anywhere else.

Ernst modular wrench organizer

This last one’s not a tool, but a way to keep your tools in order. Ernst makes one of our favorite socket organizer systems, and its made-in-the-USA modular wrench organizer is probably going to wind up in our toolboxes as well. These magnetic organizers clip together and hold wrenches more upright than do a lot of other wrench organizers. This saves space in your toolbox, and the included stickers make for easy-to-read labels. The organizers are available in red or black to match Ernst’s socket rails. As a bonus, Ernst also had its new bit organizer on display, which works with its socket rails and keeps hex bits at the ready.

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There are multitudes of odd and interesting things in the automotive-enthusiast universe. One of the more interesting objects belongs to the world of the concours d’elegance: factory-fit toolkits. The cars least likely to need on-the-go maintenance are often the examples most likely to have these desirable kits: for example, concours-bound Ferraris. Marque expert Tom Yang recently posted a video talking through all the finer points of the vintage tools that were meant to keep Maranello’s finest on the road, tools that now are the final touch for examples that rarely see the road.

A factory-fit toolkit recalls a different era of the automobile. Toolkits allowed drivers to solve a problem roadside and limp their vehicle to a safe location. Ironically, the tools in factory kits are often the last ones you would want to use to actually work on your car: The wrenches and pliers were typically built by the car company or sourced as affordably as possible. They rarely display the attention to detail or finish that good tools require. Can’t criticize the automakers too much, though; these tools were meant to be a last resort.

Over the years, these antique toolkits became critical in the Ferrari-judging world. With the rise of concours and exacting restorations, suddenly the tools you thought you’d never need became all you could ever want.

See, top-tier concours judging is based on a points system, with a maximum score of 100. Flaws or incorrect parts earn point deductions. A properly spec’d toolkit accounts for four points of the 100-point total accord to Yang, a man who would know. That means, if you want to reach the top tier of concours competition, your car must have a toolkit.

Of course, having a bunch of tools in a canvas bag or plastic bin is not what judges are looking for. Originality is paramount, from the materials of the roll to the tools themselves. I’ve personally been a part of the hunt for specific bits and bobs to complete a Ferrari toolkit while walking the rows of the Hershey AACA fall swap meet. We got lucky, but it truly wasn’t til now that I understood just how fortunate we were.

It just goes to show that the restoration-rabbit hole is as deep as one wants to go. Hearing Yang talk through the exacting details that separate the best from the rest feels like a seminar, and we love that he is willing to share this information. For most of us, it’s fun car trivia, but there is likely someone out there who now knows the exact spark-plug wrench they should be looking for to capture those last critical points.

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If there are two things we all agree on, they are the following: We can always save one more project vehicle, and we need one more tool. I had been telling myself I was going to stop purchasing shop equipment for a bit, but when strolling an estate sale with the missus, I spotted a chance to upgrade my shop’s DIY capabilities for pennies on the dollar. I’d be crazy to not jump on the opportunity, right?

Glad we agree.

It was a grungy portable bandsaw, sitting on the floor in the back room of a house. Initially, it didn’t grab me. The price tag said $100 and there are enough projects already sitting on my workbench that could use that cash. I walked out to see what must-have items my wife had found (a 100-foot garden hose, for the record), a green sign by the cash box caught my eye: today, everything was 25% off. Tomorrow, a deeper discount. A tiny tinge of fear—I could be missing out—poked at that soft part of my brain. I walked back to the portaband saw.

On the surface, a bandsaw is not hugely useful when you work primarily on classic cars and vintage motorcycles. You’re more likely to need one if you travel to job sites that require you to frequently cut pipe or large cable. A bandsaw is not particularly precise, and this model’s handheld nature requires that the workpiece be properly sized, even before cutting, so both of your hands are free to control the saw, rather than hold the piece to be cut. I rarely do large-scale work, but I’m not the only person who has limited space and more dreams than he knows what to do with.

Enter the portable bandsaw table. Swag Offroad makes the model I chose: a few chunks of hefty metal plate bent into the right shapes to bolt to each other and to my workbench. This table makes a portable bandsaw quite un-portable, but raises its utility by an extreme amount.

Of course, I had to rebuild the saw before mounting it to the table, because this tool had clearly worked hard for a few years before I rescued it from the concrete floor. Fresh guides, a couple blades, and cleaning of the armature and brushes–the latter of which were in surprisingly good shape—along with a double-checking of the wiring, and this tool was ready to go to work.

The table bolted together easily, though my saw is an older model than Swag Offroad had in mind when they made this table, and thus I had to use a little bit of fabrication and vision to mount mine properly. Finally, it was time to solve the most important problem: Making the saw run with no hand operation. A zip-tie around the trigger switch proved the concept worked, but it meant that the saw was running long before and after I made a cut. I wasn’t willing to use plug and un-plug as an on/off control, either.

Luckily there are a bunch of cable-operated pedals that use the factory trigger switch. A foot pedal allowed me to leave the saw plugged in and ready and, when I am ready to cut, I just press the foot switch. For safety, I store the switch on the side of the workbench where it can’t accidentally be tripped over. I also still unplug the saw.

For a tool I didn’t think I really needed, this bandsaw sure has been useful. It helped cut all the metal angle to build the table on which it now lives, along with some small feet for a couple engines. The saw is cleaner and quicker than an angle grinder, and the results are better, too. All-in, I have around $300 into this new tool—including some spare blades—and I know this investment will open doors in the future. The only drawback is the throat depth: The saw can only handle material that is less than 4 and 3/4 inches deep. Still plenty big to handle exhaust tubing for any of my projects, or the tubing for a new subframe or frame repair on my motorcycles.

This once-portable bandsaw was a fun project that brought a ton of function into my shop. Did I need more tools? Apparently so. Or maybe my conviction was a self-fulfilling prophecy.

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The tools of the automotive trade have remained fairly basic for more do-it-yourself types. Wrenches, hammers, saws, screwdrivers, and a few offshoot variations thereof. How those tools are used and what they are used on has certainly evolved, but for the most part, modern technology has mainly focused on specializing those core tool designs rather than trying to reinvent the wheel.

But every so often, there’s a leap in technology that grows to redefine what we garage dwellers are capable of. Not only have prices of tools reached what feels like an all-time low, but some new materials and processes have also come forth and given us the ability to do work better, faster, or safer than ever—all without needing to be a professional with a full shop.

Induction heater

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Heat is a superpower for DIY folks. The more methods at your disposal to add heat to parts and pieces, the better chance you have of never dealing with broken or mangled hardware. The only option used to be heat guns or open flames, but then induction heaters came onto the scene.

The heart of the system is a small controller and a coil of wire. The controller sends a current through the coil and that current creates an electromagnetic field that has the power to heat ferrous metals to red-hot temperatures very quickly and with great precision. No open flame, no heat outside the coil, and safe to touch shortly after heating. It makes for the perfect tight-space solution to heat corroded hardware. The price is still a bit of an investment for most, but this is very much a buy once, cry once tool, as there are no tanks to refill like an oxy-acetylene or propane torch. Just keep in mind that this magical apparatus won’t work on aluminum (or any other non-magnetic) hardware.

Electric Impact wrenches

Impact wrenches have been around for decades, but the compact and powerful modern electric versions are a downright luxury compared to the air hog anchors of years past. No more compressor, air line, or lack of adjustability. These days we have the ability to pick whichever tool brand we prefer and buy a kit with an impact wrench and driver that covers the vast majority of DIY needs.

A 1/2″ impact is lightweight and packable, and some can hit harder than the air impacts of just 10 years ago. Ensuring a battery is charged pales in comparison to the upkeep of a compressor and air lines in a shop, and that’s before you talk cost. Electric impacts make disassembly a breeze and are all but a staple of any home shop these days.

Ultrasonic cleaners

While not required to keep vintage cars and trucks running, effectively cleaning parts is critical to restoration efforts. Ultrasonic cleaners have dropped in price to the point where it finally makes sense for home shops to dedicate space on the workbench for one. I am a recent convert to the ultrasonic world and while there is a learning curve, it is fairly mellow and the tools enable passive cleaning which gives me time to do the tasks in the garage I actually enjoy rather than running copper wire through another carburetor passageway.

This is because ultrasonic cleaners are great for cleaning impossible-to-reach passageways thanks to the way the ultrasonic waves cause bubbles to form and burst on the surface of parts and pieces inside the tub. It creates a light scrubbing action that breaks up deposits and junk. Combined with the right cleaning solution, it is possible to pull nearly ready-to-reassemble parts right from your ultrasonic cleaner.

Insert machine tooling

While most of us lust after having the fabrication superpowers of a knee mill or a lathe in our shop, the footprint and power demands often leave us wanting. Beyond just having the big tool is the need for the skills and tooling to actually complete the processes and create the ideas we have in our heads. That used to mean having the skills and tools to grind your own cutters and tooling, but thanks to affordable insert tooling, it has never been easier to run a mill or lathe in a home shop. Yes, carbide insert tooling really doesn’t show its benefits until it is being run at production speeds and feeds, but it makes for easier setup and roughly the same finished product for most home machinists. This has opened a door for a safer and easier gateway into machining.

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Some shapes in the automotive world are just timeless, like the grille of a 1969 Mustang. Even restomod shops leave it alone. The same goes for tools: During an evening of working in the garage, you’re likely to touch several whose designs have survived, nearly unchanged, since they were invented.

For the sake of argument, let’s exclude anything that is simply a formed piece of metal—screwdrivers, sockets, and hammers—and focus on items with some kind of mechanism. Inventors are likely the first to tell you that perfection on the first or even the second try doesn’t happen often, but these five tools got awful close.

Ratchets

The use of gears to create a one-way mechanism is old—over a century and a half. J.J. Richardson patented the idea of a ratcheting wrench in June of 1863 and, while his design appears archaic by modern standards, it relies on the same principles as the ratchets that sit in virtually every toolbox around the world.

A center gear doubles as the attachment point for the socket. That gear interacts with two smaller ones that force it to spin either clockwise or counterclockwise. The direction of a modern rachet is easy to switch, and its gears have evolved to be much finer, minimizing the rotation required to grab the next tooth, thus making the ratchet more efficient in tighter spaces.

Bench vise

If you thought of one tool when you saw this article’s headline, it was probably this. History traces the bench vise back to the 1700s, but the first modern version was made of poured cast iron in the 1830s. The casting process was rudimentary, though, and resulted in a porous finished product that had the potential to break during use. Today, the best modern vises are forged.

Piston-ring compressor

The modern four-stroke engine traces back to Nicolaus August Otto and his experiments with compressing the air and fuel inside a cylinder prior to ignition. This discovery led to more efficient engines that gave us—literally—more bang for a buck’s worth of fuel.

To contain compression and combustion, you must put a seal on the piston; to do that, you must be able to compress said piston rings to fit into the cylinder bore while you assemble it. Consider that Otto was experimenting with his designs in the 1860s, and it’s reasonable to conclude that our spring-form piston ring compressors trace to this time period. Not everyone uses these tools, but those who do know just how important they can be.

Scissor jack

As long as there have been cars, we have needed to lift them. While an incline plane (a ramp) effectively raises the car while the vehicle is on its wheels, a spiral incline plane combined with four metal arms and a base will lift a car from any point to allow you to remove wheels or other parts. That is the essential form of a scissor jack: A screw that pulls together two arms that provide lift.

The design traces back at least 100 years and it is nearly comical how little has changed from the patent drawing to the folded-metal jacks found in the trunks of so many modern cars. Jacks and spare tires might be falling by the wayside, but the simplicity of a scissor jack will stand the test of time, even if it has never passed the test of safety with flying colors.

Vise grip

The main thing we need while working is a third hand, something that can hold our workpiece together or give us a handle on something otherwise untouchable. The over-cam design for locking jaw pliers might be the youngest one on this list: 99 years have passed since inventor and blacksmith William S. Petersen penned the design that became the nearly indispensable tool we know today. The easy-release lever was added in a slight redesign by Petersen in 1957 (above).

Have a tool to add to the list? Leave a comment below telling us another tool that has stood the test of time. The history behind what we take for granted can be quite fascinating.

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There are two types of people who walk a race paddock: Those just in awe of everything and those who are soaking it in to try and absorb some little trick or tidbit from the pros that they could use in their own lives. I personally fall firmly into the second camp there, and this explains why the pause and rewind buttons on my TV remote are the grimiest buttons. Any race coverage I watch incites a mad fury of pause and re-play to see what the mechanics and techs are doing, with what, and how ,whenever the cameras cut to the pit wall. Hence why I was so excited when the fellow tool nerds at the Torque Test Channel on YouTube released a video calling out the exact tools—down to part numbers–that were being used by F1 teams.

At first, this seems like a simple task, and in a couple of cases it is, but F1 teams are also notoriously secretive. This means that mind games are played by purchasing off-the-shelf tools and then having them painted to color-match the team livery or otherwise disguise what is truly going on. Underneath that disguise appears to be the same tools you or I can purchase from the big box home centers or local tool trucks. Now it begs the question: If Formula 1 has technology far exceeding what we home-DIY folks could ever see, why are these teams not using special one-off tools for these tasks?

This likely boils down to two reasons. The first is that the Formula 1 season has teams setting up and racing at 22 different tracks in locales literally all around the globe. Considering the teams have limited space to pack all of the things they can take from track to track, spare batteries and tools are likely a luxury, and thus the ability to replace a tool or battery relatively easily with a trip to a store or vendor could be a lifesaver. Could be a budget cap too, as the tools available for purchase are just as good as what a one-off tool the team might design and construct, yet come with the dependability of a major brand and likely millions of dollars of R&D behind it.

One of the more interesting finds was the use of an off-the-shelf Milwaukee impact driver to install the wheel nuts. The speed of pit stops seems to necessitate wheel guns powered by high-pressure nitrogen to uninstall and reinstall each wheel nut in under two seconds, but for situations like qualifying or practice where time is not the only consideration, the electric impact lowers the chance of over-tightening or rounding off a wheel nut. The pit stop wheel guns can hammer with a force up to 4000 pound-feet, which if left for a blip of a second too long can over-tighten the wheels and cause problems. The electric impact can be dialed back to only hit with the roughly 400 pound-feet required. Could a mechanic probably just use the air gun carefully? Sure, but a margin of error with such critical components is certainly nice.

The other key cordless items you’ll see are the blower fans used to keep brakes and other coolers from overheating by ensuring airflow even when parked. These cars are designed to work and function at speed which means they overheat in short order when not getting the airflow that comes with speeds well into the triple digits. Any cooling is better than nothing, but it is still strange to see consumer-grade leaf blowers being repurposed with custom fairings and nozzles to fit the cooling intakes.

Of course, there are others, and the Torque Test Channel adds interesting insight into which exact tools are being used and deducing why based on that specific tool’s performance in the market. Will this change what I buy for my shop? Probably not, but it sure is fun to think about how a few of my tools are technically the same as those used by the men and women who maintain the cars at the pinnacle of motorsport.

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When do-it-yourself types talk about tools, they usually fall into one of two groups: Those who declare that premium tools are the way to go, and those who argue that, based on the average quality of today’s tools, paying more just isn’t worth it. The truth likely falls somewhere in between, especially once you consider that some tools get picked up more often than others. Still other tools, if they fail, have unusually high consequences.

When assembling their toolbox, everyone has a budget. Where can you cut a few corners, perhaps to justify buying a few higher-end ones? We dug around and found five garage must-haves. With these, the budget option carries no penalty—and just might be your best bet.

Pliers

I own some pricy pliers, and I’m constantly passing them over to grab a cheap set, one that can get little damaged or soaked in oil and not make me feel guilty. Does that mean I am too protective of my “nice tools?” Maybe, but it also means I probably could get by with only the budget-friendly option.

Remember those Snap-On pliers that made the rounds on social media awhile back, the ones you could use to pick up a nickel by its edge? Let’s call a gimmick a gimmick. In a home shop, you rarely need the precision offered by those pliers. They are likely easily damaged if used improperly, too.

Hacksaw

Saw blades are a place to shell out, but the actual hacksaw? Even the cheapies seem to last long enough to crop up at estate sales. After all, there aren’t many ways to improve on the recipe: a metal frame, plastic handle, and threaded adjustment for the blade tension.

Hacksaws can be found for as little as $5 or $6, and those of us who just work on cars at home are unlikely to notice or truly appreciate the more expensive options.

Flashlights

At some point, light is light. Flashlights can get expensive, and while it’s very likely some are worth the premium, most are just the same switches and bulbs in a “fancier” case. I’ve never needed a truly waterproof flashlight in my garage. I’ve never needed to use one as a hammer, either.

If taken care of with even a small amount of respect, like keeping fresh batteries installed to keep the corrosion out, cheap lights work for a long time at practically no cost.

Extensions

Not extension cords, but socket or ratchet extensions. So long as the machining for the two precision parts—where the ratchet and socket engage—is right, you’re pretty well good to go. Again, when used properly, extensions aren’t going to wear out: If you’re using hand tools, you’re unlikely to put enough torque on a garden-variety one to twist or break it.

(You shouldn’t be using one as a punch, anyway. We know you’ve never done that. Right?)

Organization

At the end of the day, your toolbox is your toolbox. If you know where things are, that is good enough. Some people prefer borderline- over fully organized tool storage, but we all find what works for us.

When you’re pinching pennies, fancy organizational inserts are low-hanging fruit. There are also a lot of truly budget DIY solutions for toolbox organization that require only medium effort.

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There is a fine line between buying the right tool for the job and spending so much on tools you don’t have anything left for the actual project. Sometimes a tool’s value doesn’t align with its price. Be a little frugal: At first, you might feel like you’re cutting corners, but after a while, you’ll notice the cash saved, and your wallet will be better prepared for that last-minute Marketplace purchase that “just needs carb work.”

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New tool day brings a special feeling. It’s born of bliss, measured in hours, playing with the latest addition to the garage arsenal. We never tire of broadening our “I can fix that” aptitude to corners of the automotive that were previously inaccessible. “No longer,” we say as we swipe the credit card or hand over cash at a garage sale. “This weekend will be different.”

When the big brown truck of possibilities dropped off a large box for me last week, I recited these very words. Because of all the tasks that fill my time each week, the one I’d love to streamline is cleaning parts and pieces. The process usually soaks up mountains of minutes and, at the end, often leaves me feeling only mildly accomplished. Lacking the space for a large parts washer or a solvent tank for soaking, I turned to an ultrasonic cleaner. Listen up, ye wrenchers: I am here to evangelize the high-frequency gospel.

How an ultrasonic cleaner works

The ultrasonic cleaner on my workbench is essentially a speaker box. But instead of music it produces the most annoying noise on Earth this side of Ford’s seatbelt reminder chime. The speaker is actually a transducer mounted in the tub of the machine, where you’d normally expect to find a center drain. The transducer emits high-frequency sound waves into the tub. Normal sound waves are referred to as sonic waves, while these high-frequency waves are considered ultrasonic.

The sound waves agitate the solution inside the tub and in turn cause cavitation—the formation and collapse of very small bubbles up against the surface of the object submerged in the solution. Cavitation effectively scrubs the part and in turn removes oil, dirt, and debris. Adjusting the solution, or even just the temperature of it, can change the cleaning power from extremely mild to decently aggressive.

What ultrasonic cleaners can do

Yes, ultrasonic cleaners can replace all the hand-cleaning that ordinarily needs to be done for a part-cleaning project. That is indeed the beauty of this tool, but the best practice still involves a little bit of elbow grease. The best approach is to knock the worst grime or filth off any part before it goes into the bath, if for no reason other than to keep the solution and tank cleaner for longer. Doing this preemptive work also allows for shorter cleaning times and, ultimately, better results. Just a quick scrub with a wire brush is enough, plus a wipe with a rag. Then on into the solution.

Once submerged, the part will be subject to the aforementioned cavitation. That will break free everything else that is stuck onto it—including whatever gunk is hiding deep inside the part, as in small passageways or nooks and crannies left from the casting process. Suddenly, all those pain-in-the-butt places to clean are no longer a pain. Drop the part in the tub, press start, and move on to the next piece.

The key items that prompted me to invest in an ultrasonic cleaner are these motorcycle engine case halves, plus the side covers. The oil passageways snake through the castings, and the last thing I wanted to do while cleaning was accidentally damage the threads for the banjo bolts that carry oil to the notoriously delicate valvetrain. The ultrasonic cleaner allows me to drop in those parts, fiddle with a few other things around the garage, come back and rinse the parts, then blow dry. That’s it; no solvents, no gloves. Heck, I don’t even have to worry about caustic liquid drips when I pull parts out, because my cleaning solution of choice is just distilled water and a little dish soap. Harmless!

Plan on cleaning the cleaner

An ultrasonic cleaner does have a downside: maintenance. The tub is a closed system—no circulation pump or anything—meaning the solution inside quickly becomes a broth of all the nasty things that the cavitation broke free. Some of the time you save cleaning parts translates into time cleaning the machine. Luckily, the Vevor unit I bought has an integrated drain inside what is not much more than a stainless-steel tub. Easy enough to wipe up and then refill.

The time saver

There is an even savvier strategy available for those who find even a simple wipe-up to be a little annoying. (Or maybe the idea of hazardous, oily water sitting around is something you’d prefer to keep contained.) That’s where jars or other sealed containers—filled with cleaning solution—come in handy; this method leaves you with smaller amounts of dirty broth.

Sound waves travel freely through plastic or glass with no diminished cleaning efficacy. The ultrasonic cleaner therefore does not care if the parts are submerged in the primary solution or the contained solution inside the jar. The water in the tub stays clean this way, which means the machine is always ready. Just toss your part in a jar and into the water and let the machine run. It’s a great option for smaller parts, in particular.

It’s (probably) not as great as you think

Not for me, anyway. I pictured just dropping parts in the first time, pushing a button, and pulling them out looking perfect and ready to go. Instead, there is a learning curve when it comes to choosing solutions and an overall process.

For me it meant getting over the fear of cleaning aluminum. Choose the wrong solution and there is a chance of cavitation pitting or even lose material. Lower frequency, like the 40-Hz found in most home machines, creates larger bubbles which are more powerful when they collapse—powerful enough that it can tear soft aluminum. Try a sheet of tin foil in an ultrasonic cleaner and watch it get torn to shreds; that could happen to the surface of the piece you are trying to restore.

So with that in mind, this is †not the be-all end-all garage accessory. It is a really handy thing, though. If you are at all like me and have the basics tools for DIY maintenance and upkeep of vintage machines already covered, an ultrasonic cleaner might be worth it. The cost has come down enough that even ones like the 15-liter unit I purchased can be had for under $200. With this tool in my arsenal, my favorite sub-$1000, “just needs carb work” motorcycles from online classifieds don’t stand a chance against my newfound cleaning confidence.

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At their very core, our cars are power tools. Keeping them properly maintained doesn’t absolutely require other power tools, but they sure do make life easier. Early man might have gotten by just fine using rocks to wrench on his Neolithicmobile, but rocks haven’t helped me with a garage project in decades. So let’s talk about handheld power tools.

Whether plugged into a wall outlet or juiced by batteries, power tools can make life a lot easier for many DIY projects. These six tools are must-haves for making the most of your time and getting jobs done more efficiently than ever.

Impact

Yes, manual impact drivers exist and very much have their place in the garage, but more often than not they lack the ease of use of an electric impact, as well as their broad scope: Half-inch models have the hammer weight to break free really stuck or otherwise medium- to high-torque fasteners. Think wheel lugnuts or big hardware. The next size down is three-eighths, followed by a quarter-inch impact driver, which is fairly weak compared to its bigger brothers but perfect for stubborn Phillips-head fasteners or other bolts that need a lot of pressure to ensure the bit doesn’t slip and strip the head.

Drill

Whether dealing with broken hardware or doing light fabrication, the ability to spin things accurately is important. Nothing does that better than a drill. Pair it with a nice set of twist bits, and you are fit to be dangerous. A drill’s ability to make good use of small wire wheels and other cleaning attachments also makes it a great middle ground between having a bench grinder and doing things manually with a wire brush. Even a small polishing pad can take the labor out of refinishing wheels or detailing paint.

Soldering iron

Like unclogging a shower drain, electrical work often falls into the category of uniformly despised jobs. But having the proper tools can turn any such work from nightmare to … tolerable, at least. A good soldering iron will make for strong and reliable connections that won’t pull apart, and you don’t risk accidentally cutting any wires with a crimp connector. Is it the only way to join wires? Not at all, but it might be the best. A soldering iron can also come in handy when you need to put heat into a stuck bolt in a delicate place.

Multimeter

On the topic of electrical problems and solutions, the multimeter is a tool that should arguably come before the soldering iron above. Finding and diagnosing is just as important as proper repair, and diagnosing electrical components without a multimeter is really just waiting for the lightbulb above your head to light up and tell you what’s wrong. Not the best method for doing things.

A multimeter gives you real information, whereas a test light merely gives a yes or no. If you need a refresher on what a multimeter can do, or you just need a boost of confidence to handle that electrical gremlin, check out our rundown of how to use a multimeter to be prepared for the next problem that gets you all amped up.

Digital calipers

It used to be that you needed to go to a machinist or a tool-and-die shop to see anyone handling precision measurement instruments like digital calipers. Not anymore. As the technology became more readily available, prices dropped accordingly. Now, your home shop can have a set of calipers for less than $20. Are they infallibly accurate? No, but with any measurement tool, half the accuracy is in the operator. Good digital calipers are perfect for zeroing in on the precise size of something where precise sizing is critical, and for checking the work of outside shops when the work comes back home.

Heat gun

Heat is a superpower for garage dwellers like us. From upholstery work to helping keep rubber seals pliable, a heat gun can put perfectly measured amounts of heat into a part. We even tested one recently to see if it could substitute for an open-flame torch, and the results were surprising. Once you have one in your toolbox, you’ll find more uses for a heat gun than you ever thought possible.

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A garage is often a compromise between a dumping ground and a professional workspace. What jobs we do and how long each takes is up to us, how prepared we are, and a healthy dose of luck. The last we can’t really control, but the preparation factor is something we very much can.

Our tools are pretty much always at the ready, but breaker bars and gasket scrapers are not the only supplies you need. If you plan to regularly take on automotive projects, you’ll want to keep these 10 lubricants, fasteners, and clean-up materials on hand.

Grease

So many components need the sticky lubrication of grease. Generic chassis grease, in a tub or tube, is critical. If used correctly, it can solve a lot of problems, from capturing shavings while drilling into metal to holding needle bearings in place during engine assembly. A well-prepared garage should never run out of it.

Oil

If you run to the parts store every time you need to top up your vehicle’s oil, you’re on a fool’s errand. Buy a few quarts up front. Stash one in the car and a couple underneath your workbench or on the shelf.

I like to keep everything needed for a full oil change on hand all the time, just in case. That decision hinges on the fact my vehicles’ oil filters are not readily available from the local parts store. Your mileage may vary.

Gas

Having a gallon or two of fresh gasoline can be handy for diagnosing a poorly running vehicle or priming a car before it comes out of storage. The trick here is to use your garage’s fuel stash often and top up the cans to keep the fuel from going sour.

Remember: Gasoline should not be used as a solvent or cleaning solution. While it’s tempting, since you have some on the shelf, fight that urge. Use the proper chemicals rather than risking a fire that could burn your whole garage to the ground.

Carburetor and brake cleaner

Since you aren’t cleaning with gasoline, keep actual cleaners around. Between aerosol carburetor– and brake-cleaners, you have two of the most popular and versatile solvents.

Some people use them interchangeably, but brake cleaner can often leave a bit more residue. Will carb cleaner do the same job in a pinch? Yes, but using the right tool for the job is always best practice.

Cutting blades

Regardless of what project you are working on, and especially if you’re fabricating, there is a non-zero chance you will need to cut something. From hacksaw blades to razor blades, a sharp edge can be critical in rescuing a project.

Wire and some connectors

Most enthusiasts seem to despise wiring projects, but the vast majority of wiring problems are simple fixes. Most electrical issues trace to broken wires or corroded connections, and the best things to stock are a handful of connectors and loops of wire in various gauges.

Unlike most of the other supplies on this list, wires and connectors don’t go bad. Buy in bulk now, and forget about the cost when you dip into the stash.

Penetrating oil

Just like having carb- and brake-cleaners around, keeping your favorite penetrating oil on the shelf and ready will make your life so much easier. I always keep a brand-new can next to the open one. Once I open the new can, I restock. This ensures I will never be mid-project without the ability to break free stuck hardware.

Rags and oil-dry

Spills happen. The appropriate mess-control methods are important to keeping your working environment safe and efficient. Rags are also helpful for cleaning off tools at the end of the day and for plugging inlets that you don’t want to fill with debris—like intake ports, if you’re working on carburetors.

Zip ties

They aren’t the solution to everything in life, but zip ties solve a lot of problems, from tidying wires to organizing disassembled parts.

Pro tip: Buy black zip-ties. The carbon black added to the resin makes these more UV-resistant than white or clear ones.

Common hardware

The number of times I’ve needed to fabricate something to replace a stripped fastener … yeah, don’t ask. I now know the bolts and nuts that I’m most likely to encounter on my projects, and I keep these fasteners well-stocked. It’s confidence-inspiring, because, if something happens, I know I’ll save time by avoiding a special order.

Your shop manual

It’s not a consumable, but you should always keep a shop manual in the garage. From step-by-step instructions and wiring diagrams to exploded drawings of individual components, shop manuals are a godsend.

My favorite approach is to find a .pdf version of the appropriate manual and save it on my computer before printing it off and putting it into a three-ring binder. Original, bound printings are great, but decades of storage can make pages delicate. A self-printed manual can always be printed again if you spill oil on it or otherwise damage it.

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Craftsman shutters Fort Worth, Texas, facility

Intake: Craftsman, the toolmaker owned by Stanley Black & Decker, is closing its Fort Worth, Texas, manufacturing facility along with transferring its Cheraw, South Carolina, operations to its facilities in Jackson and Gallatin, Tennessee. This move will impact 175 employees at the Texas facility and 182 employees in South Carolina and add 80 jobs in Tennessee. In a press release regarding the move, Stanley Black & Decker stated this move was “designed to deliver $2 billion of cost savings and [is] reflective of current economic conditions which highlighted needed changes in Stanley Black & Decker’s production and distribution network.” 

Exhaust: Interestingly, the Fort Worth facility was one of the more recent, large investments for the brand, who only opened it in late 2022. As someone who has a box filled with Craftsman tools, this is disappointing to watch, but there are still places that will honor the lifetime warranty. Whether or not I want to exchange my Craftsman tools for newer ones is the real question. Investors feel similarly; Stanley Black & Decker’s stock is at a five-year low, despite the fact that many Craftsman still operates 40 manufacturing facilities in the U.S. — Kyle Smith 

Our Fort Worth plant is getting ready to work. We can’t wait to make more tools right here in America.

Image 1: furnaces for heat treating tools. Image 2: Sockets rinsed and dried, ready for tool sets. #MadeInUSA pic.twitter.com/yuTKyMgwSy

— CRAFTSMAN Tools (@craftsman) March 12, 2021

Ford’s next-gen electric pickup takes shape

Intake: Ford announced on Friday that its next-generation electric pickup would take shape at the company’s massive Tennessee-based BlueOval City manufacturing plant, according to Automotive News. The truck is currently codenamed “Project T3,” which CEO Jim Farley said is short for “trust the truck,” the mantra that engineers and designers have used while developing it. Farley said that Project T3 will not be another F-150 Lightning, but rather a clean-sheet design and engineering effort. When it comes online in 2025, BlueOval City is expected to be able to produce 500,000 units each year.

Exhaust: The F-150 Lighting was Ford’s conservative first effort at an all-electric pickup, carrying styling and proportions that were virtually identical to its engine-powered F-150 stalwart. Expect Project T3 to push the envelope in terms of visuals and tech, akin to Chevy’s Silverado EV. — Nathan Petroelje

Report: Top Gear‘s future in doubt after host quits

Intake: The BBC put a stop to production on the latest season of the world’s most popular car show after host Andrew “Freddie” Flintoff was hurt during filming. The former England cricket star suffered broken ribs and facial injuries in a stunt at the show’s test track in December. Now, The Times is reporting that Flintoff won’t be returning to Top Gear at all, quoting a source as saying, “Freddie has been seriously emotionally and physically affected by the crash. He is a daredevil, that’s what he does, and he doesn’t feel like he is able to continue to play that role on the show.” An official statement from the BBC reads, “We have sincerely apologized to Freddie and will continue to support him with his recovery.”

Exhaust: The show went on after previous host Richard Hammond crashed a dragster at nearly 300 mph, putting him into a coma back in 2006, and Flintoff has also suffered several mishaps since taking the wheel, but this would be the first time one of its leads has actually quit over safety concerns. Could this finally be the end for Top Gear? — Nik Berg

Rising Brazilian actor steps into Senna spotlight role

Intake: Netflix has announced the actor set to play the title role in its upcoming miniseries Senna. The six-episode show, focused on the life of deceased Brazilian Formula 1 legend Ayrton Senna, will star Brazilian actor Gabriel Leone. Leone called the role “a huge responsibility” and “a great honor.” The series, which was announced in 2020, will be produced by filmmakers from Senna’s home country and with the cooperation of his family.

Exhaust: Nearly 30 years after his tragic death in a crash at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix, Senna remains one of Formula 1’s greatest and most compelling drivers. He was a fiery and divisive competitor, and his career and life have always seemed tailor-made for dramatic portrayal. It’s a good sign that Brazilians are involved—he remains a national hero in that country—and an even better one that the family is on board. We can’t wait. — Sam Smith

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After a short hiatus of hands-on projects, I’ve been returning to the garage to deal with a few tasks that have been sitting on my back burner. Top of the list is sorting through the various parts and pieces that have accumulated in the 10 years since I moved to Michigan and began to hoard the parts and pieces that will certainly get used one day.

The sad theme of my cache? Stripped nuts and bolts.

Most of it is OEM Honda hardware. I can still buy it, but I fear the day I won’t have that option. I could replace all of it with socket-headed cap screws—the threads are standard metric—but the flanged head with the hemispherical dent in its center is a touch that I like on my bikes. It’s the correct stuff, and a good build deserves it. Sadly, the previous owners of the motorcycles I’ve bought didn’t have such respect for the little things.

Many of the bikes’ nuts and bolts have rounded-off corners or are otherwise damaged in a way that suggests an inconsiderate mechanic rather abuse on the road or trail. With my thrifty (read: cheap) nature, the bikes I bring home rarely come from loving homes. The last one, an ’86 Honda XR250R, came from a dirt lot adjacent to a house whose roof had collapsed. I think the 14-year old who sold me the bike was squatting in it.

Humans have advanced to the point where we’ve made so many tools that one person could never own them all if they tried. The sheer number of available tools has made it easy for users to reach for the wrong one. If it kinda works, it becomes their go-to.

That doesn’t make that tool the right choice.

Allow me to present an example, which happens to be a personal pet peeve: 12-point sockets.

Go to your favorite local hardware store and look into the bins of nuts and bolts. Then put your car on jack stands (if it’s already there, I’m sorry) and spend five minutes poking around and noting the hardware that holds the thing together.

Just leave this window open in your browser. It’ll be here when you get back.

I promise.

What did you find? Most of those fasteners have six sides with six tidy corners. What isn’t a hex-, Torx-, or Phillips-head is likely hexagonal in shape and would fit perfectly into a six-point socket. It would also fit in a 12-point socket—but poorly.

I can state this as fact because science backs me up. Look closely at the two sockets, of the same size, side by side. Notice that the six-point socket has thicker walls than the 12-point one. Also, look at the facets inside. If you have a quality set of sockets, these surfaces won’t actually be flat; instead, each section will have a slight arch to it.

This concave surfacing helps the socket engage the fastener farther towards its center, on what’s called the fastener’s flank. Together, the six-point’s superior rigidity and optimal contact point transfer torque more evenly from the socket to the fastener. This design also deflects less twisting power during high-torque situations, like those produced when you’re wrestling with a corroded or very tight piece of hardware.

According to a patent filing by Snap-on tools, the goal of a socket design is to “engage the flank of the fastener at a distance of about 30 to 60 percent of half a length of the flank away from the corner of the fastener.” This prevents the fastener’s corners from being wiped off by the socket, leaving you with a stressful evening of dealing with a newly round bolt.

Before you say it, yes—I will happily admit that there are three parts to this equation: Tool, workpiece, and user.

Think about all the times you’ve heard people complain about modern “cheese-grade” hardware. This is the stuff that is unmarked and made of an alloy that seems to be heavy on the sugar and spice but has none of the nice carbon, zinc plating, or heat treatment found on grade-five and above hardware.

Low-grade hardware commonly found on budget-focused products, combined with a less-than-conscientious user who selects a sub-optimal tool is a recipe for failure and frustration. It is up to the user to select the proper tool for the job.

Often, the perceived ease of engagement offered by a 12-point socket is traded for greater risk of rounding off hardware and creating even more of a pain.

So, I propose a rebranding of 12-point sockets in your mind: They are speciality tools.

There are twelve-point fasteners and, of course, that means you should be prepared for them. An 8mm 12-point can stand in for the special XZN hardware found on Volkswagen Auto Group cars, just as one example. That’s a pretty narrow use case, though. Oh, and I have to mention ARP bolts, along with the other aftermarket hardware that surely exists. Heck, I could swear I’ve seen factory-installed connecting-rod bolts with 12-point heads.

Twelve-point sockets always seem to be around, though. Look in any one of the starter toolkits at your local hardware store, and you’ll find a matched set of six- and 12-point socket duplicates.

I chalk this up to two reasons: It is handy to have two sockets of the same size if only because you might lose one or need two in order to separate a nut-and-bolt union. Also, notice how so many of those kits are sold on tool count: high number of tools for a low price. Just $250 for 290 tools, and these kits often go on sale around the end of the year for close to $100, even.

That tool number is a big part of the manufacturer’s value play. The reality is that duplicates—and the practice of counting each screwdriver tip that can be inserted into the single screwdriver included in the kit—builds value in the customer’s mind. It also means that we view each tool in those sets as something we need and must use. That’s just not true, though. Even with these toolkits.

Look, in most situations, a 12-point will do the job. But if a fastener gets tight, rusty, slightly rounded, or otherwise damaged, why take the risk of starting with an inferior tool and hoping that the proper one can save you if things go wrong?

The sales pitch that double the points is handy for when a bolt is slightly hidden or tough to get to is backwards. Yes, a 12-point socket can engage a six-point bolt every 30 degrees of rotation, but if you’re are unable to rotate a 6-point socket to get settled onto a bolt, how are you going tighten or loosen the bolt once the socket’s engaged? Should the inferior socket damage the hardware, you can only hope that a six-point can save the day. Even if it does, you’ve now wasted time doing the job twice. Just use the right tool the first time and save yourself the stress of having to replace rounded bolts.

Or don’t. I fully recognize it’s your shop, your tools, and your hands. You can take the risk if you want.

But if you are the person who rounds off hardware with a 12-point, uses a six-point to remove it, and then just goes ahead and reinstalls it … would you please stop selling me motorcycles?

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Free time is not free. Free time comes with working efficiently, which minimizes the time needed to get the finished product you so desire. You could ensure your tools are all in the garage, suggesting they are technically all in one place. But nothing is more infuriating than spending five minutes wandering around the garage to find a tool you only need for 30 seconds. And then repeat it again for another misplaced item. It can literally drive a person mad.

On the other hand, there are people who genuinely believe organization is just a waste. Everyone works in their own ways, so we aren’t about to suggest anyone is wrong for keeping their tools how they please. But, with an interest in organization in mind, here are the four levels of tool storage you will likely encounter if you visit enough garages.

Level 0: I have one of those

You are elbow deep in a water pump swap at your friend’s garage when you realize you need a shallow 6-point socket on an 3″ extension. You friend looks at you and says “yeah, I’ve got one of those” and then starts picking up various items and projects on their workbench. Your automotive repair has now turned into a game of “I Spy: Garage Edition.”

We all get caught between projects from time to time, or something of high-importance rolls in and requires pausing something you were actively working on. We how these situations come to life. But if this is your modus operandi, perhaps it’s time to upgrade and quite literally get your poop in a group.

Level 1: It’s in the box somewhere

We have now advanced to the most basic level of tool organization: Having everything contained in one place. But the tools are loose and haphazardly mixed. Sockets and wrenches require picking up and turning to see exact sizing, as if denying that the two options of standard and metric exist. You are no longer walking about the garage searching for things, but still pulling drawers like a cabinet maker looking for that jig he knows he made back in 2011.

Not everyone needs to take out a second mortgage to have one of the tool trucks drop off the latest and greatest toolbox, but having one place for your tools is the best course of action if you own tools. Heck, most tool kits these days come in blow-molded packaging that can be downright annoying in some situations, but it undeniably keeps things together and halfway organized. The various ratchets, screwdrivers, saws, and hammers we accumulate with time last longer and work better when properly taken care of and not left in the dirt, or on the floor. (Or in the saltwater marsh that forms underneath anything I park during the winter.) Tools also work best when they are not lost. A tool in the hand is worth… five on the shelf?

Level 2: It’s in that drawer

The chaos in now reduced to a smaller space! The drawers wear a label describing what’s inside, and those items are returned to the same place. You still have to poke around to find exactly what you need, and it might even be a little tougher since everything in the drawer is the same type. Need a half inch box wrench in a drawer full of box wrenches? That’s just annoying.

I suspect this is the level most DIY and at-home mechanics operate on, mostly because it is the easiest to maintain. Clean up only requires wiping a few things down and then tossing handfuls back in the prescribed drawer. The time spent finding something is saved by how easy it is to put back. If you value your time at zero or know your tools extremely well, this is a relatively acceptable way to operate.

Level 3: It’s on a rail, in an organizer, or otherwise sorted

To most, this is the level that is considered “basic organization.” The toolbox now uses dividers in its drawers, or various fixtures to attach like-minded tools together. This creates an environment that makes for quicker locating of tools while working on a project. This level of organization also makes it easier when working on something new, or a project with mixed fasteners: I’m looking at you, American OEMs that mix metric and SAE fasteners.

When sockets are mounted to a rail, you can grab the whole rail and take it to your workspace, instead of making multiple trips to get the right size for the task. The rail also ensures sockets will not roll away while performing automotive yoga under a dashboard. Nothing hurts like watching something roll (or fall just out of reach) while literally shoulder-deep working on something. But sockets on rails can’t roll.

Level 4: It’s right there, and I can tell immediately if it’s not

For neurotic wrench turners, there is the ultimate in organization: Custom cut foam. It’s commonly referred to as Kaizen foam, but that is like calling all nose-blowing tissue a Kleenex. This is a multi-layer foam that can be sliced into, then pulled out in sections to exactly fit various tools or parts. We think it might have jumped into garages from the camera and film world, because this foam is great for packing delicate items into travel cases.

Each layer is 1/8″ thick, so it is as simple as tracing the tool you want to store, setting the depth of your knife, cutting the shape (while ensuring you keep the knife vertical), and removing the now-released foam. Bingo: you now have a perfect pocket for cradling anything you can imagine. And as a bonus, most of these foams have one color on top and a different color in the middle layers, allowing you to sight-check if anything is missing.

The idea of tool organization is likely as old as tools themselves, which means the cost to keep your toolbox tidy has dropped over the years. Time is money, and your time is not free. Socket rails and organizers are things that we can say with 100% confidence are worth a trip to Harbor Freight.

So where do you fall in this hierarchy, and do you want to see more tips on keeping your box organized and ready for work? We may have a few tricks that are cheap or free that we could be convinced to share, but only if you promise to not be a level zero organizer. Don’t worry, we’ll take your word and won’t ask for proof.

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The nuts and bolts that make up our beloved automobiles have not changed that much over the last 150 years. But the tools needed to maintain them? Those have changed a lot. Software has cemented itself as part of a service technician’s day-to-day regimen, relegating a handful of tools to the history books. (Or, perhaps, to niche shops or private garages that keep many aging cars alive and on the road.)

How many of these now-obsolete tools do you have in your garage? More to the point, which are you still regularly using?

Spark-plug gap tool

Though spark-plug gap tools can still be found in the “impulse buy” section of your favorite parts store, these have been all but eliminated from regular use by the growing popularity of iridium and platinum plugs. These rare-earth metals are extremely resistant to degradation but, when it comes time to set the proper gap between the ground strap and electrode, they are very delicate. That’s why the factory sets the gap when the plug is produced.

These modern plugs often work well in older engines, meaning that gapping plugs is left for luddites—those who like doing things the old way just because. Nothing wrong with that; but don’t be surprised if dedicated plug-gapping tools fade from common usage fairly quickly.

Verdict: Keep. Takes up no real space. 

Dwell meter

50 years ago, a tuneup of an engine centered on the ignition system. The breaker points are critical to a properly functioning ignition system, and timing how long those points are closed (the “dwell”) determines how much charge is built up in the ignition coil and thus discharged through the spark plug. Poorly timed ignition discharge is wasted energy, but points-based ignition systems disappeared from factory floors decades ago, and drop-in electronic ignition setups have never been more reliable (or polarizing—but we’ll leave that verdict up to you.)

Setting the point gap properly is usually enough to keep an engine running well, and modern multifunction timing lights can include a dwell meter for those who really need it. A dedicated dwell meter is an outdated tool for a modern mechanic, and thus most of the vintage ones are left to estate sales and online auction sites.

Verdict: Toss once it stops working. Modern versions are affordable and multifunctional. 

Distributor wrench

When mechanics did a lot of regular timing adjustments and tuning, a purposely bent distributor wrench made their lives much easier. However, much like ignition points, distributors have all but disappeared. Thanks to coil-on-plug ignition systems and computer-controlled timing, the distributor is little more than a messenger: It simply tells the computer where the engine is at in its rotation.

Timing adjustments have become so uncommon that a job-specific tool is likely a waste of space. If you’ve got room in your tool chest, keep yours around; but know that a standard box-end wrench can usually get the job done and is only fractionally less convenient than the specialized version.

Verdict: Keep if you have them. No need to buy if you don’t. 

Pre-OBDII diagnostic scan tools

Prior to the required standardization of on-board diagnostic computers by the U.S. in 1996, a single car could host a wild mix of analog and digital diagnostic methods. OBDII, which stands for On-Board Diagnostic II, wasn’t the first time that a small computer was used to pull information from the vehicle via an electronic connection; it merely standardized the language.

Throughout the 1980s and early 1990s each OEM had its own version of a scan tool. Now those tools can be reverse-engineered and functionally spoofed by a modern computer, allowing access to diagnostic info tools that, at the time, were only available to dealers. Since many pre-OBDII cars are now treated as classics or antiques and driven far less frequently, the need for period-correct diagnostic tools is dropping.

Verdict: Keep. These will only get harder to find with time, and working versions will be even rarer. 

Distributor machine

A distributor is simple in concept. Trying to balance the performance and economy of the ignition system, with the distributor attached to a running engine, and achieving proper operation starts to get pretty complicated. That’s where a distributor machine comes in.

A distributor is attached to the apparatus and spun at engine speed by an electric motor. This allows you to literally see how the points are opening and closing. You can also evaluate the function of vacuum or mechanical advance systems. These machines are still great but the frequency that this service is needed these days is few and far between, especially when trying to justify keeping a large tool around and properly calibrated.

Verdict: Keep, if you are a specialty shop or tool collector. 

Engine analyzer

Even a casual enthusiast can see there is a lot more information that can be gleaned from a running engine than whatever readouts might be on the dash. Enter the engine analyzer, a rolling cabinet of sensors and processors designed to fill in the data gaps between everything that is happening in a car and what its gauges report.

An engine analyzer is essentially a handful of additional instruments packaged into a small box hanging around the bottom of your tool drawers. It can also house a lot of sensors in a giant cabinet, which was likely wheeled into the corner of the shop in 1989 and left to gather dust. Now engine analyzers can be found listed online for as cheap as $200.

The funny thing is that many of the sensors in these engine analyzers are often the same systems that come built into modern dynamometer tuning systems. In a dyno, the sensors allow the operator to see more than max power; they also show how changes to an engine’s tune affect emissions. Maybe engine analyzers didn’t disappear so much as change clothes.

Verdict: Toss. The opportunity cost of the space these take up can be tough for most home garages. Sensors went out of calibration decades ago so the information you might get from one is dubious at best. 

Most pneumatic tools (for home shops)

Air tools hold an odd place in the hearts of many gearheads. For many years the high-pitched zizzzz and chugging hammers of air-driven die grinders and impact drills were the marks of a pro. Or, at least, of someone who decided that plumbing high-pressure air lines around the shop was easier than installing outlets and maintaining corded tools. Air tools are fantastic for heavy use, as they are much easier to maintain and can be rebuilt and serviced.

Those tools can really suffer in lack of use, though, since pneumatic tools rely on seals and valves, neither of which deal well with dry storage. Battery tools have caught up to air tools for most DIY folk. No more air lines or compressors taking up space in the shop—and requiring additional maintenance—and, in return, a similarly sized yet more agile tool.

Verdict: Keep, if you already have the compressor. Don’t have one? Invest in battery tools. 

Babbitt bearing molds/machining jigs

Every engine rebuild has to have bearings made for it in some fashion. Today’s cars use insert bearings that are mass-produced to surgical tolerances for a multitude of applications. If you wanted—or more accurately needed—new bearings in your Model T circa 1920, you needed to produce your own … in place … inside the engine. Welcome to Babbitt bearings.

The process is a true art form, from the setup of the jigs to the chemistry of pouring molten metal and machining the resulting orbs to actually fit the crankshaft and connecting rods. Now there are newly cast blocks for your T that replace the Babbitt with insert bearings. Since those antique Ford engines just don’t get abused the way they used to, and lead fairly pampered lives, they need rebuilding far less often than they did in-period. Modern oils also do a better job of protecting these delicate bearings. Since they are less and less in demand, the tooling and knowledge to make Babbitt bearings are difficult to find, and precious when you do.

Verdict: Keep. It’s literally critical to keeping a generation of cars alive. 

Split-rim tire tools

Among the realm of scary-looking tools that have earned their infamy, split-rim tools hold court. The concept is simple: The rim is sectioned, allowing it to contort into a slight spiral that can be “screwed” into a tire. (This is almost the reverse of a modern tire machine, which stretches the tire around a solid wheel rim.) When tires needed tubes, both tire and rim were relatively fragile, and the roads were rough, split rims were popular—and for good reason. Now the tooling for drop-center wheels is ubiquitous and shops often won’t take on split-rim work. Success is hard to guarantee, even if techs are familiar with split rims—and they rarely are.

Verdict: Keep. No substitute for the right tools with this job. 

***

These tools might not make much sense in a dealership technician’s work bay, but that doesn’t mean they should disappear forever. Knowing how to service antiquated technology is as important as ever, whether using old tools or new ones. If you’ve got any of these items, consider it your responsibility to document what the tool does and how to safely use it. Keeping alive the knowledge of where our modern tools came from is powerful.

***

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Wait a sec, Christmas is less than two weeks away? If you haven’t already started your holiday shopping, it’s time to put the pedal to the metal in your search for the perfect gearhead gift.

Whether you have a tight budget or an unlimited one, here are some ideas from Hagerty’s media team, all of which are sure to please the automotive enthusiast in your life—even if that enthusiast is you.

MAKO driver kit with 64 precision bits ($40)

The Mako Driver Kit includes iFixit’s 4mm aluminum screwdriver handle with a magnetic bit socket, knurled grip, and swivel top—plus 64 precision driver bits and a flexible extension. Says Hagerty social media manager Matt Lewis: “If you ever have to work on smaller stuff, get into tight spaces, or work with unique bits, this is my absolute favorite little tool kit.”

Car detailing ($100+)

Who doesn’t love a clean car? Better yet, who doesn’t love a clean car that someone else cleaned for them? Detailing costs vary (widely), depending on what you want done, but a fresh interior and sparkling exterior can usually be had for $100–$200. Whether it comes in the form of a gift certificate or a pre-paid appointment, car detailing is a wonderful way to say, “I appreciate you.”

TICARVE cleaning gel ($7)

If you know someone who enjoys cleaning their car themselves (yes, there are some), this is a super cheap product that will make the process a little easier. TICARVE Cleaning Gel and similar slime-like goop products get the gunk out of tight or difficult-to-reach spaces like air vents, consoles, steering wheels, door handles, cup holders, and gauges. Use it multiple times until it gets dark, then purchase a new one.

Personalized vanity plate (usually $20–$50)

Many states have made personalized license places so cheap that you see them EVRYWHR these days. In Michigan, for example, a personalized plate costs just $15 more than a standard one. Most states charge more than that, but generally you can get yours for $20–$50. The biggest hurdle, besides selecting a six- or seven-letter plate that no one else has thought of yet, is you’ll have to give cash to the person you’re gifting, rather than the plate itself. Regardless, it’s a unique gift that someone might find PRCLESS.

CargoTech containment system ($40)

We love WeatherTech floor liners and mats, and anyone who is gifted a set will likely love them too. If they’re a little too pricey for you, might we suggest another cool WeatherTech item, a CargoTech Containment System for your trunk?

For 40 bucks, you can keep cargo of all shapes and sizes from sliding around during your drive, whether it’s groceries, packages, luggage, or a dish of Grandma’s famous lasagna. Each of the four moveable pieces has a grippy underside that works on both rubberized and standard carpet, making it easy to adjust to the size you need. This one of those cool products that you don’t know you need but will be happy to own.

Indianapolis 500 tickets ($15–$130)

They don’t call the Indianapolis 500 “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” for nothing. Find out firsthand in May 2023, as more than a century of history, progress, and speed come together for a thrill that you’ll never forget.

A field of 33 cars will vie for the coveted Indy 500 title on May 28, but there’s plenty to see in the days leading up to the 107th running of the race. The cheapest tickets ($15 for general admission) are for practice days, May 16–19; race-day tickets range from $40 for general admission to $130 for reserved seats (more expensive tickets are sold out).

Hagerty branded content writer Matt Fink encourages every motorsports enthusiast to put it on their bucket list. “I took my oldest son to the 100th running of the 500 when he was just 7, and he loved it. We still talk about it to this day,” he says. “Now that my youngest son is turning 7, I think we need to make this a tradition!”

Amelia Island Concours tickets

Looking for a classic car event that doubles as a winter getaway? How does Florida in March sound?

There are numerous events leading up to the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance on Sunday, March 5. Highlights include a panel discussion with Corvette at Le Mans legends on Friday, Cars & Community Day on Saturday—including Cars & Caffeine, RADwood (featuring vehicles of the 1980s and ’90s), and the Concours d’Lemons (a celebration of oddball and unexceptional cars)—and a seminar featuring NASCAR champion Jeff Gordon plus an honoree dinner. But there’s nothing like the concours itself, when 250 historically significant vehicles compete for awards and accolades.

Dewalt modular right-angle attachment ($20)

Media content editor Nate Petroelje can’t wait to tell you how much he loves his Dewalt modular right-angle attachment, the 2-in-1 system that transforms from a compact right angle to a standard right angle. So let’s get to it.

“When I got this last Christmas, it completely changed how I looked at any automotive project that didn’t involve heading to a shop. Yes, I had a breaker bar already. Yes, I had a ratchet for knocking nuts back on. But this tool cut the time I needed for wheel swaps, brake work, and more, almost in half—more than that, in some cases.

“If you’ve ever had the pleasure of working in a shop that had an impact gun but then were banished back to an existence without one, this is your return ticket to living in the light.”

iOttie ITap 2 magnetic iPhone holder ($20–$25)

If you don’t own an iPhone holder, maybe it’s time to treat yourself so you can concentrate on driving instead of fumbling for your phone in traffic.

There are plenty of good ones that’ll do the job, but a straw vote here revealed a preference for magnetic phone mounts. For $20–$25 on Amazon, the iOttie iTap Magnetic 2 comes in vent-, dash-, and CD slot–mounted versions, and the heavy-duty magnets adequately do the job, whether the phone is vertical or horizontal. With that said, some may prefer the RAM Mounts X-Grip phone holder. For $43.99, is it worth twice the price? Please don’t Google the reviews until you’re out of your car.

Milwaukee M12 Fuel 3/8-inch ratchet bare tool ($199)

There’s no hiding that the Milwaukee M12 Fuel 3/8-inch ratchet costs considerably more than the other gift ideas on this list, but it’s worth every nickel to Hagerty digital arts editor Bridget Davies.

“I love this tool,” she says of the cordless ratchet, which has up to 55 lb-ft of max torque and 200 rpm. “It’s super versatile, works well in tight spaces, is cordless, travels incredibly well, and I’d consider it worthy for both pros and backyard mechanics. We don’t leave home in the MK1 Volkswagens without it … and a set of spare axles.”

Dozens of outlets carry it, including Home Depot and Ace Hardware.

Secrets of the Barn Find Hunter, by Tom Cotter ($20.49)

When you’ve parked your car, put your tools down, and grabbed a hot beverage on a cold night, maybe it’s time to enjoy a good book. Or share a good one with a friend. We love Tom Cotter’s Barn Find Hunter YouTube series, and as we shared previously, his latest book (Secrets of the Barn Find Hunter) gets inside his head and heart in a fascinating way. The book is chock-full of tips, suggestions, and insights that will help and encourage classic-car enthusiasts go hunting for forgotten vehicles in their own backyard.

Looking for a children’s book to read to your up-and-coming gearhead? Quarto Publishing offers a series of colorful Ambulance/Fire Truck/Police Car to the Rescue! books that are sure to keep their interest, all for less than 10 bucks.

Glamour Road: Color, Fashion, Style, and the Midcentury Automobile ($65)

Recommended by Hagerty senior editor Kirk Seaman, Glamour Road will appeal not only to classic car enthusiasts but also to history buffs and anyone interested in midcentury fashion and design. The 12×9-inch book explores how glamour, fashion, design, and styling became the main focus of automotive marketing from the postwar 1940s through the ’70s, and it does it through 425 color and black-and-white photographs. Bonus: If you order through Destination PSP (link above), you’ll get a copy that’s signed by authors Tom Dolle and Jeff Stork.

In a similar vein, it’s hard to beat Rob Keil’s Art Fitzpatrick & Van Kaufman: Masters of the Art of Automobile Advertising, but since we’ve written about it before, we won’t drone on about it again (although that wouldn’t be difficult). And if you’ve already spent your gift-giving budget, there’s hope: Keil created a documentary about Fitzpatrick that you can watch for free on YouTube.

From our garage to yours, Happy Holidays!

Check out the Hagerty Media homepage so you don’t miss a single story, or better yet, bookmark it.

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The cars, trucks, and 4x4s tend to draw our immediate attention at the SEMA show each year. With all the amazing vehicles on display (don’t miss our MegaGallery here) it’s easy to forget that the event is really a showcase for the aftermarket manufacturers that make our favorite builds possible. And make no mistake—products can influence a build in big ways. Whether it’s hard parts that add more power for performance, tools essential for fabrication, or gadgets that make the final product that much more customized, there were plenty of great pieces of aftermarket kit on display at SEMA 2022. Here are ten that really caught our eye:

Trac Tire Jack

The Trac Tire Jack is one of those ideas that seems so simple, you wonder why everyone with a shop doesn’t already have one. It’s a simple lever tool made from thick steel with a single, wide roller that allows even heavy tire and wheel assemblies to be lifted onto and off the wheel studs. This looks like a real lifesaver when it comes to tall, heavy off-road tires and wheels on trucks, Jeeps, and other 4x4s that can weigh in at more than 100 pounds. With a retail price of $150, it’s likely going to be very popular.

Speedway’s Chevy LS Dummy-Block Engine Mock-Up

Speedway’s 12-gauge sheet steel LS engine mockup lets you build engine mounts and determine proper engine placement and clearance without having an unwieldy engine block with which to contend. Intake manifolds, valve covers, headers, and accessories can all bolt on, and when you’re done with one project, you can unbolt it and stash it away without taking up too much space. The long block version, shown here, weighs just 35 pounds and has an MSRP of $375.99.

Meguiar’s Ultimate Insane Shine Paint Glosser

Meguiar’s can help your paint look its best using a variety of tailor-made products to get a mirror shine. But it also aware that sometimes you need a little quick magic to make your car’s finish really pop. When there’s no time to break out the buffer, Meguiar’s Ultimate Insane Shine Paint Glosser acts like Photoshop in a bottle to hide swirl marks. It’s applied to a clean microfiber, wiped on, and buffed off in just a few wipes to reveal an amazing shine.

Optima Orangetop Lithium Battery

Optima’s newest product is a line of lithium batteries for powersports applications like motorcycles and side-by-sides. The batteries are sealed against dust and provide four terminals for multiple cable routing options. Most impressively, they automatically disconnect from parasitic loads to reserve enough power to start so that you won’t be stranded.

Hooker Small-Block Chevy Exhaust Manifolds

Hooker already offered compact cast ductile iron exhaust manifolds that make engine swaps on Hemi and LS V-8s much easier. The newcomer in the company’s lineup are modern castings that fit classic small-block Chevy V-8s, using the same quality construction they’ve offered to those newfangled V-8s. These small-block exhaust manifolds offer more flow than the factory pieces, which are getting harder and harder to find in decent condition. And Hooker’s pieces also can be ordered with a heat-insulating ceramic finish to help keep your engine bay cooler.

Limitless Lugz

Limitless Lugz are lug nuts that can be linked to both factory and aftermarket alarm systems, adding a layer of protection against wheel theft thanks to their embedded sensors. Once the vehicle alarm is armed, attempts at removing the Limitless Lugz will trigger the vehicle’s alarm and send an alert to the owner via an app. These new lugs could add some peace of mind when parking your ride in an unfamiliar area. They’ll be available soon, too.

Ridetech Fox-body Coil-Over Suspension

Ridetech’s newest Fox-body suspension replaces the MacPherson strut design with a billet aluminum upper control arm, tubular lower arm, and new spindles that use S550 Mustang hubs. Your favorite Mustang can now use stronger hubs, and you’ll see better grip thanks to improved negative camber gain and overall more refined geometry. Kits are available to use coilovers, as shown here, or Ridetech’s Shockwave airbag system.

Powerbuilt Mechanic’s Seat

This big-wheel mechanic’s seat from Powerbuilt uses six-inch casters to help roll over cracks, seams, or other irregularities while keeping you off the ground in a comfortable position to work on your vehicle. There are several cupholders and storage for small tools and parts to help keep everything you need at the ready. MSRP is $159.99.

Dri-Pod Floor Dryer

The Dri-Pod floor dryer was designed to aid in cleaning up flooded homes. Whether the water came from a storm or from firefighters’ hoses to put out flames, in either scenario a generator to power a big dryer might be hard to track down. Using just 1 amp, each of these $100 Dri-Pod units moves 750CFM to quickly dry floors. Each comes with a 10-foot cord and up to six can be daisy-chained together. A single one can be used in a car interior after a steam cleaning to quickly rid the area of moisture.

Milwaukee M12 FUEL 3/8-inch x 13-inch Band File

Considering how often we use files to deburr metal when fabricating, this M12 FUEL 3/8-inch x 13-inch bandfile from Milwaukee had us thinking about all of the places we’d use it in the shop. It’s narrow and skinny for reaching into tight spots and it uses the same batteries as the rest of Milwaukee’s M12 FUEL line, so you don’t have to worry about cords or air hoses.

Of course, there are plenty of other noteworthy new products from this year’s SEMA show. If you happened to catch one that you hope to add to your next project or toolbox, let us know in the comments.

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There are always more tools to buy, whether we need them or simply want them. Most at-home wrenchers have some version of a “man, I wish I had one of those” list, but not all medium- to high-priced tools deserve to remain on the wishlist simply because a cheaper version exists. Any tool in your shop is an investment, and putting more dollars into a purchase is sometimes wiser than holding out or scraping by.

We pulled together five of our favorite tools that, in hindsight, we would have invested in sooner.

A nice set of jack stands

Let’s start off with the basics: Tools that most home wrenchers already have but could likely stand to upgrade.

Jack stands are literally the only thing keeping you from becoming an uncooked organic pancake on the shop floor. Not only should you not be cheap here, you should err on the side of spendy. Jack stands can be purchased for for very little money from places that rhyme with hazard-fraught, but why subject yourself to questioning whether that wiggle was “just normal”? Buy a set of stands with more metal than the hull of the Titanic and use them religiously. It’s nearly impossible to wear them out—we implore you to try.

Drill press

Space is a premium in every home shop. Dedicating some floor or bench space to a drill press can feel like wasting space, but the ability to accurately put holes in objects is invaluable. You will soon find yourself building jigs and, even if you don’t use it every day of the week, finding it more useful than you ever imagined.

We love using a drill press to start taps at a perfectly perpendicular angle by tightening the tap in the chuck and the workpiece in a vice. Use the quill to apply even and straight pressure while hand-turning the chuck (drill unplugged!) until the tap is started, then pull the workpiece and attach a tap handle to finish the job. Cheap drill presses can be just a few hundred dollars. Used, medium-duty pieces can be just under a thousand and last your entire lifetime if well maintained.

Welder

The ability to permanently join metal is a superpower. With few exceptions, you have no reason to deny this to yourself. Inverter welders have smaller footprints and friendlier prices than ever—you will likely spend more for scrap metal to practice on than you will for the welder itself. Welding can be intimidating, but an evening class at a local community college goes a long way to learn proper technique and build relationships that make advice a phone call away. A welder often provides another solution to some common problems when wrenching on old cars, like corroded or broken hardware.

As big a bench as you can afford

The floor is sometimes the only place to work, but if it becomes your go-to space for disassembly or diagnosis, you will tire of projects quickly. Mount a bench to the wall or put it on wheels to make it mobile, but build it as big as your space allows. (You will still want more space in the future, trust us.) When you do, look into adding work tops to toolboxes or other horizontal things you already have. Who says you can’t have storage and a workspace?

A quality drill index

Two ways to go about this one: Buy what you need as you need it, or buy once and be happy you aren’t making trips to the hardware store covered in grease right before closing because you need a specific bit. A quality drill index feels über expensive when popular sizes come in $5 blister packs, but those cheap bits rarely hold up to much use. Also, they often don’t contain the proper wire gauge sizes you will need if you get into any fabrication or thread repair. Sure, you can do conversions to an SAE or metric size and have it be “good enough,” but are you really going to settle? For the money, you shouldn’t.

Have an addition to this list? Leave it in a comment below.

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Ring, Ring. 

“Hey Friend #1. How’s it going?”

“Honestly Friend #2, not great. Remember that wheel bearing I started replacing yesterday? Well, I’m stuck. Can you give me a hand?”

I’ve taken that phone call. You’ve probably taken that phone call. We’ve all made that phone call. It feels like a reward to receive that call sometimes.

Helping others with their automotive projects is a rite of passage for lots of enthusiasts. It means you have transitioned—even if only temporarily—from student to teacher. Even if it is only due to your possession of special tools or space rather than knowledge, it’s still a little nod of respect to another person to acknowledge when someone else is more prepared for the task at hand than you are. The old saying that “Every smooth-running project is one broken bolt or dropped piece from being a three-day ordeal” is a long-running bit of humor for those of us with grease under our nails, and for good reason. Helping someone through that ordeal is awesome, but whether you’ve never done it before or have done it a thousand times, here are five things to think about before you start turning wrenches on a friend’s car.

Light touch

Your friend called you to help install a new distributor, and while under the hood you notice the valve cover gaskets are pretty leaky, so you go ahead and pull the valve covers off to reseal them while you have the engine apart. Bad idea. Don’t do what they don’t ask you to do. They likely have a plan for the car, no matter how informal, and you might put things out of order by diving into something they were OK with letting be for awhile.

Work as if you are them

Your tolerance for misfit might be lower than theirs. Or maybe you don’t care about your paint, but they very much care about it and use a fender cover religiously. Whatever little things like that you can do to treat their car the same as they would is the key to keeping a friend. Sometimes that might mean leaving things a little scruffier than you typically do if you are the perfectionist. Remember, it’s not your project. Heck, it’s not your car. 

Keep an eye on the clock

It’s easy to get carried away when you have a helping hand, and suddenly it’s midnight and the missus is pissed. Consider it your job to keep things focused and on track even though you are the help. Have a brief conversation before you arrive or when you get there to level set what the evening is going to entail. That might include some hanging out mixed in with work, but make sure that’s mutually enjoyed. No one wants to have to kick a friend out to keep others in the house happy.

Don’t be a distraction, help

Maybe your buddy is pretty skilled and really only needs a careful eye to check work along the way. Don’t try to have deep conversations or walk off to tinker with something else in the garage. If you are there to help, help. No one likes someone showing up in the garage and slowing their progress to a crawl when the plan was to knock out a project. It’s no different than your barber. Sometimes the conversation breaks when they need to focus, and you just let it happen because you know the results can depend on it.

If they ask for tools, they get you along with them

Loaning out tools is like gambling, and you are not the house. Sometimes you get your stuff back. Sometimes it’s gone forever. Worst case it’s returned in a condition that the borrower didn’t realize is unacceptable. That’s why I’ve implemented a rule that if you need some specialty tool I own for your project, then me and my experience with that tool come with it. When I leave, so does the tool. It ensures my stuff doesn’t disappear or get damaged, plus I know you’re using it correctly. Overkill? Maybe. I hate being the guy who says no though, and this allows me to say yes more.

Have a rule of your own for helping or asking for help? Leave us a comment below. You might just end up helping someone you’ve never met.

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Don’t let the fall colors scare you into pickling your car for winter just yet. In many parts of the country, this is the best time to be out on the road. Color tours are spooling up all over the northeast, and as the temps drop in the southwest, vintage cars are returning to the roads—but that means more than a few will likely end up on the roadside too. Set yourself up for success and pack a toolkit to at least handle the basics.

Of course, for bigger trips or questionable cars, it makes sense to pack a big kit that could cover just about everything, but that is not right for every person or situation. As the old saying goes, the best time to build a toolkit for your vintage ride was yesterday and the second best time is right now. Even if you aren’t handy or do your own maintenance it is never known who might stop and offer help and without tools that good Samaritan is reduced to good thoughts. Here are six basic essentials for your travel toolkit.

Screwdrivers

Much of any car is assembled with slotted and Phillips-head screws, and even a precursory inspection often requires removing an access panel or cover. Sometimes a noise or vibration does not indicate immediate death for your car or engine, and after inspection you can determine if it is safe to carry on your way despite some part or piece misbehaving. A screwdriver can also act as a stethoscope in a pinch too, allowing you to track down a goofy noise for better diagnostics with less disassembly.

Pliers

Whether you need to deal with a stubborn spring hose clamp or moving a piece that got a little hot, pliers are the tool for the job. At bare minimum you should carry needle nose and slip joint pliers, as these will cover the vast majority of tasks on the roadside. Bonus points if your needle nose pliers have a cutting edge, as this will work for wiring repairs or stripping.

Fluids

We can’t live without water, and your engine can’t live without oil and coolant. They’re the fluids you’re most likely to lose and can still safely refill and continue your drive. Some folks will tell you to carry brake fluid, but if you’re losing brake fluid, that’s not something to top off and continue. Your brakes are a critical safety system that should be repaired properly by a pro, and your Hagerty roadside assistance card is going to be the best tool to use if the brake reservoir runs out while on the road.

Belts

Most vintage engines run simple V-belt setups, but that system has been usurped by the serpentine belt. Relying on a chain parts store to have a variety of V-belts can be a big ask since they likely don’t sell many and thus only stock the most popular sizes. Belts are light and pack down small, so having the proper belts for your car is a no brainer.

Jump pack

Batteries go flat. It just happens sometimes, especially on vintage electrical systems in which small draws can go unnoticed until its too late. A jump pack can provide the juice to get your engine running again or keep it running in a real pinch. Also, most jump packs these days are small and light, while also packing more punch than ever. A bonus is it allows you to charge your phone or other critical accessories if you find yourself stranded and waiting for a tow.

Sockets and wrenches

Yeah, duh. It’s hard to take anything apart or service pieces without the ability to remove nuts and bolts. If you are handy and want to carry the bare minimum, start by looking under the hood and picking just the wrenches and sockets for jobs you are willing to do on the roadside. If in doubt, grab a full set of shallow and deep sockets for both SAE and metric, because you never know what hack might be hiding under the hood where someone previously mixed hardware. This also gives you the chance to be the hero in someone else’s story when you have the socket they need in order to leave the car show.

Bonus: Tool roll

Personally, I hate random things rolling around my car, doubly so if they make noise. A simple tool roll is cheap and allows you to keep all your trip-saving bits and pieces together. Tuck it all under a seat or in back with the spare tire, and rest easy each time you take the car out knowing that you’ve got at least the bare minimum needed to keep your trip on the road rather than the shoulder.

Is there something you’d add to a super basic toolkit? Leave your suggestion in the comments below.

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When my Suzuki SV650 race bike rolled into my garage, the belly pan required at least three different wrenches to remove. That pan is an important piece, and I don’t want it to fly off willy-nilly, but there had to be an easier way to attached it. It took two seconds of looking for that better way before I settled on a trio of Dzus (pronounced Zeus) fasteners. Are you familiar with them? Even if you are, you probably don’t know the full story.

The name comes from the man, naturally, and the story starts in the early 1930s. William Dzus needed to hold things together, so he created a simple quarter-turn design that not only locked things securely together but quickly, simply, and with captive hardware. The design is a retained cam stud that locks onto a wire spring attached to the opposite part. Just a flick of the wrist and the attachment is loose, yet all the force in the world can’t break it apart unintentionally. The patent soon followed.

He rolled right into producing this new fastener in his West Islip, New York, garage and targeted the burgeoning aircraft industry. Only four years passed between Dzus’s intial idea and the incorporation of Dzus Fastener Co., Inc., in 1936. By 1939 the company had grown to the point that a plant was added in England. World War II soon set in, and the orders nearly overwhelmed the Dzus Fastener Co. The spiral cam locking fastener produced by Dzus became standard equipment on all Allied aircraft and made it so that all production was focused on the war effort. Only after the war concluded was the program renewed to market this fastener outside of the aircraft space.

And for good reason. I’m not alone in my need for durable and easy-to-use fasteners that allow for quick servicing. Early hot rodders notoriously pulled from experiences maintaining planes and other military machinery, so it was only a matter of time until the Dzus fastener appeared on the engine-swapped jalopies and salt flat racers. The beautiful part of the Dzus design was that the spring tension holds the whole operation together, and thus vibration often helps keep it all together rather than shaking it apart—and all with no threads to cross or otherwise booger up.

Interestingly, for as simple as the design is to operate it can be a bit of a pain to install. To get the final product working properly requires drilling no fewer than six holes in precision location relative to each other. Four pop-rivets keep the spring and spiral cam retained to their respective panels. There is also the business of the spring height, which needs to be correct for the panel thickness being secured or the operator will struggle to lock and unlock the cam. Luckily that alignment and fabrication process only has to be done once.

For my SV650, that meant drilling a few holes in the fiberglass belly pan and bending up three stanchions of aluminum that would suspend the pan below the engine at a safe distance from the exhaust that runs underneath the engine. The catch pan is required for track riding, just in case a connecting rod lets loose and punches a hole in the crankcase. With a catastrophic failure like that it is important to keep the oil with the bike and not on the track surface. Mine is fairly unobtrusive, but it still needs to be removed to inspect things between rounds at the track and, of course, for maintenance like oil changes or shock adjustments.

I roll off to the track with a little more confidence thanks to these three hardworking and simple fasteners. Not only do I know my belly pan is properly retained and won’t come loose, I also know that I can have it off in an instant if the need arises. All thanks to a 90-year-old design that has gone relatively unchanged for its entire production run. Now that’s what I call staying power.

The post Hail Dzus, mighty fastener of important panels appeared first on Hagerty Media.

Playing with vintage cars, trucks, or motorcycle is expensive. No two ways around that, and often times folks will bring up doing your own maintenance as a way to save a few dollars on your car ownership journey. The reality of that is that you often create another sinkhole to fill with cash by becoming a tool buyer.

Tools are addictive to most folks. You want tools that work without causing you stress or damaging what you’re working on. Sometimes that means making things work in ways they may or may not have been designed, or heaving a big sigh while swiping your credit card for that very special, specific-use tool. Regardless, if you dip your toe in the Do-It-Yourself water, it’s only a matter of time before your toolbox becomes a point of pride. One of the strangest things I’ve realized on my DIY journey is how many times I’ve been happy to own multiples of the same tool.

On the surface, having doubles seems wasteful. Good tools aren’t cheap, and buying twice prevents spending money on things like parts or materials. Hear me out though, as I’ve found five reasons to justify owning a pair of any given tool. I apologize for turning your toolbox into Noah’s Ark for ratchets. Actually, you should thank me.

Your road trip tool kit

If you own a car, you’re gonna want to drive it at some point. With vintage machines being, well, vintage, things fail and you would be wise to be prepared. Packing a basic toolkit is easy, but if you have only one of any given tool it means you’ll have to rob from your home kit whenever you take a road trip. Splitting up your tools is a recipe for frustration when the car is ready to go but you need a screwdriver or socket for something else in the garage and you have to try and remember that it’s in the car, not the toolbox.

My top tip for assembling road trip toolkits is to scour pawnshops and yard sales for tools to get what you need. It’s tempting to just go to your local hardware store and buy a generic toolkit in a blow-molded case, but I promise the quality of most of those kits will leave you frustrated when you have to rely on them. You’ll probably end up spending more for a new set of inferior tools than you would by buying higher-quality, second-hand tools that actually work.

Sometimes it’s literally necessary

While it would be a wonderful world if we only had to work on vintage cars and trucks, most of us eventually shift to maintaining our newer cars and daily drivers as well. These modern machines were built with a substantial focus on packaging and cramming as much as possible into the limited space available. Attempt to service the serpentine belt on something built after 2010 and suddenly you realize having only one box end wrench of a given size is not going to work out well. Random jobs like this pop up, and while you can’t be prepared for everything, having a set of ratcheting box wrenches in addition to a regular set is an easy way to cover a lot of bases. Same for screwdrivers and pliers.

You’re gonna lose one

If you are careful it’s a rare occurrence, but generally it isn’t a matter of if but when a tool will take an unplanned vacation. We’re going to leave the joke alone about the forever missing 10mm and focus instead on a tip to help keep you from losing things: put sockets on rails or other organizers, and keep wrenches in order. A drawer full of loose and random sockets is no way to store your tools. For only a few bucks, socket rails can keep sets together, and a carabiner through looped end of box wrenches keep them together and easily accessible. If money is no object and you like perfectly organized things, there is Kaizen foam cut to fit everything perfectly in your toolbox. Is it over the top? Not to me.

It allows friends to work too

A helping hand is a nice thing, but when those helping hands can’t do anything because there aren’t enough tools to work along side you, it’s a bummer. Doing a job like wheel bearings, you can cut the time in half when you have a person working on each side of the car, but if you have only one tool to remove the brake calipers, coordinating the work is an extra chore. You want free labor right? Gotta have the tools to make it happen. I suppose you could always ask your friend to bring his or her own tools, but that seems like a long shot depending on who your friends are.

You can modify one

This is a tough one for me to talk about. I’ve never been a big fan of chopping up tools to make one job just a little easier, but sometimes its downright necessary. There is a 9/16-inch wrench folded 90 degrees that has lived in my toolbox for 15 years now, just in case I need to do transmission mounts on an early model Corvair again. It is the only way to do that job, and yet in that decade and a half I’ve yet to take on another job that requires that specific tool. Don’t jump straight to modifying your tools if you can help it, but having a “spare” means you won’t have to un-modify anything or be stuck with a single-use tool until you can pick up another.

The post 5 reasons to own duplicate tools appeared first on Hagerty Media.

Working on cars is inherently dangerous. Just like driving, spinning wrenches on a vehicle requires respect and undivided attention. We all accept a certain amount of risk when taking on DIY projects, and I’m willing to bet that the percentage of people who have left every single one of their projects without a scrape or bruise to be less than one. I won’t go so far as to say everything is dangerous, but here are a few repeat offenders that I think are the most dangerous tools in the average shade tree mechanic’s shop.

Drill press/drill

Even small drill presses are high-torque affairs thanks to speed reduction pulleys. Snag something on a drill bit and the machine will continue to wrap that material until you hit the stop switch. When drilling, remember that the most dangerous time is right before the bit breaks through the backside of the material. Should the tooling bite, rather than cut, it will take whatever you’re working on and whip it into oblivion. A vise will hold your workpiece in place, but used with a hand drill, you run the risk of twisting your wrist. Still, holding a piece in your hand and drilling on the drill press is asking for trouble. Get a drill vise or appropriate clamps and use them.

Remember, speeds and feeds are incredibly important when drilling. Make sure to adjust the speed at which the drill is spinning and monitor the feed, or the rate as which the drilling takes place.

Grinder

Handheld grinders can easily spin a 4.5″ disc to 8000 rpm and are used to remove material from your project. That material is coming off the wheel at Mach Jesus and bouncing about your shop. Without due care that material will bounce right back at you or damage delicate parts of your project, or worse, your eyes. Questionable quality discs can also break apart and become projectiles in every direction. Grinders are powerful tools to be used with respect and care as to where the material is going. It’s best practice to to use quality attachments, combined with good personal protective equipment: safety glasses, hearing protection, and gloves, at a minimum.

Spring compressor

Hell hath no fury like a compressed spring unintentionally released. Literally tons of force can be sprung loose in an instant. The suspension in our beloved car is sometimes one slip of a wrench from shooting out big parts at ballistic speeds. When working with spring compressors a big dose of extra caution is warranted.

Consider taking a “belt and suspenders” approach by not only carefully using the proper tool, but also using chain to retain the spring to a solid part of the vehicle like the frame, so that if energy is released it will still be contained to an area that you are choosing and can then stay out of. Spring compressors tend to be extra dangerous because often times they are rented tools rather than purchased, and come with few instruction on how to safely use. Do your research on the safe use of spring compressors, and know your limits on when it is time to call in the professionals.

Trash can

Seriously. Have you ever seen that video where a Christmas tree catches fire and it’s only seconds before the whole room is ablaze? That can happen with your shop trashcan too. More than a few projects involve any number of chemicals and it only takes two of the wrong ones to mix in you trash can before they spontaneously combust. We haven’t even talked about the danger of drying oils which can oxidize and create enough heat to self-ignite. Throwing rags in your trash can is asking for trouble. the better move is to get a fire-rated canister with a lid that serves to not only contain any fire, but also limit the access to oxygen that is required to stoke the fire in the first place.

Your ego

One of the most powerful and dangerous tools is your own brain. Confidence comes in one of two ways: experience or ignorance. Walk into a job with the latter and it’s only a matter of time before you are hurt and wondering what happened. Using tools improperly or taking shortcuts are surefire ways to end up damaging your project and/or your body. Check you ego at the garage door, and a safer—and more fun—time will be had by all.

Jack

Floor jacks are fascinating tools once you understand how leverage and hydraulic physics. The ability to easily lift thousands of pounds is a superpower possessed by anyone with a $100 bill. That is terrifying, if you consider the dangers involved. Lifting a car requires attention to proper jacking points and also proper support once up in the air. Again, the physics are amazing, but even more amazing is that all that hydraulic pressure often rests on just a few five-cent o-rings. Do you trust your life to an o-ring? I didn’t think so. Use jack stands. Every time.

Any knife

This is a strange one to explain to folks who haven’t experienced it before, but sharp knives are the safe ones. Dull cutting edges require additional force to push through material and thus have a tendency to slip or turn in a direction the user didn’t intend. Combine this with bad habits like cutting towards ourselves (I’m guilty of this more than I would care to admit) and you have a recipe for disaster. Grab a whetstone and put a fresh edge on your sharp things. I promise that is actually safer.

Punches

When using a punch or chisel you are likely scared of the hammer blows and the chance of hitting your holding hand. That’s a real fear, but the chisel itself may conspire to hurt you as well. The end of a punch that receives those carefully placed hammer strikes has a tendency to mushroom slightly and can reach a point where the edge becomes brittle. When struck, it becomes a sharp projectile. This is easily prevented by filing down any mushrooming edges on your punches.

In the wrong hands anything can be dangerous, just ask my friend who has a glass eye about how dangerous a screwdriver can be when used incorrectly. That doesn’t mean you should never go out and enjoy working on your car though. Everything in life comes with risk, but mitigating some of that by acting responsibly is never a bad idea. Think there is another tool in a common home shop that presents more risk? Leave us the details in the Hagerty Community below.

The post 8 of the most lethal tools in your home shop appeared first on Hagerty Media.

John writes: I have three Jaguars insured through Hagerty—two XKRs (2006 and 2011) and one 2006 XJ8. I am looking for an OBD scanner that will give basic, easy-to-decipher code readings at a relatively low price. I am not mechanically inclined, and I’m tired of getting wrong advice from bad or unscrupulous mechanics.

Rob answers: There are three things to understand about scan tools. The first: There’s a distinction between generic OBD-II code readers and brand-specific scan tools. Any $20 generic OBD-II code reader will read the standardized OBD-II emissions-related codes that cause the Check Engine Light (CEL) to come on and tell you if a coil is misfiring or an oxygen sensor is out of range. However, the fact that the OBD-II/CEL system is standardized across all post-1996 cars means that an inexpensive code reader can only read the generic codes and thus can’t read Jaguar-specific codes. To do that, you need a Jaguar-specific scan tool.

Second, even with a Jaguar-specific scan tool, there’s a distinction between one that reads the Jaguar-specific control modules for the engine, transmission, airbag, ABS, suspension, parking sensor, and other systems, versus a tool that actually performs service functions on those systems. For example, finding and clearing a fault with the air suspension or the ABS is different from recalibrating the suspension or cycling the ABS for brake bleeding. The more you spend, the more of these service-type functions you get.

Third, the use of a scan tool is almost always coupled with hands-on repair. That is, a scanner may report an error code and give you the capability of clearing it, but if you or a repair shop haven’t corrected the underlying fault, the code will come right back. In addition, even with a b rand-specific scan tool that has an easy-to-understand user interface, some amount of brand-specific repair knowledge is often needed to translate the message into action. “Bad left rear wheel speed sensor” is pretty clear, but a “minor evaporative leak” could be coming from many small hoses, and it usually takes an experienced technician to figure out exactly which one it is.

That said, the Land Rover/Jaguar scan tools from iCarSoft and Foxwell both appear to be popular in the Jaguar world. The iCarSoft LR v1.0 ($190), will read and clear trouble codes and perform an oil service maintenance reset. The Foxwell NT630 ($150) will also perform the service functions of steering angle calibration and ABS bleeding. For $260, the iCarSoft LR v2.0 adds Electronic Throttle Control (ETC) and Battery Management System (BMS) reset.

Andy Hoffman writes: Can I ask for clarification on the article “Winter is Coming” from the November/December issue? First, the article recommends putting the car on jack stands to avoid flat-spotting the tires. I always thought that would expose the [shock absorber] shaft to the elements and possibly cause corrosion, thus ruining the shock. I pull my cars onto pieces of rigid foam insulation, which contours (somewhat) to the tire and reduces the flat spot. What do you think? Second, the article recommends disconnecting the negative terminal of the battery to eliminate parasitic drain. Is that for cars with negative ground? If so, is the advice to disconnect the ground wire (to be clear, for those with positive ground)? Can you elaborate?

Rob answers: To prevent flat-spotted tires, parking on foam may be better than parking on cement, but Tire Rack concurs with my advice that the ideal solution is putting all four wheels up. Regarding the exposed-shock/strut-shaft issue, unless you’re in a salty/high-humidity environment, I wouldn’t be overly concerned. Many shocks and struts have bellows that cover the shaft, but if they don’t, some amount of the shaft is exposed anyway, even if the car is sitting on the ground.

Regarding which battery terminal to disconnect to eliminate the parasitic drain, the reason for disconnecting the negative is that most cars have negative ground. Therefore, if you accidentally touch the wrench to the body of the car when you’re undoing the negative terminal, you won’t create a spectacular short to ground and burn your hand. You are correct that, for this reason, on a car with positive ground, you should disconnect the positive terminal.

The post Diagnostic Dilemma: Not all scan tools are alike appeared first on Hagerty Media.

Cross thread, damaged thread, need a new thread? All three are encountered often enough when working on a classic car or motorcycle. Female threads are cut using taps and male threads with dies, both of which can which can be bought in sets or individually.

Threads come in all sorts, including metric, imperial, and even some particular variants like UNF (Unified Fine) and UNC (Unified Coarse). Going stranger and rarer still are specific types like BSW (British Standard Whitworth), with nuts and bolts available only from specialist suppliers.

For that reason, having taps and dies on hand to fix problems or cut threads when you need to can be incredibly useful.

Threads are differentiated by the pitch, which is the distance between each individual turn of the thread. The top of each thread is called the crest and the valley between them, the root. The sloping sides of the thread are called the flanks and the angle of the flanks varies from thread to thread. Even if two different types of thread have the same pitch and diameter, they may be incompatible, so a set of thread gauges is useful for identifying an existing thread (they look a bit like tiny saw blades).

Once you’ve established the types of thread used on your classic, a set of taps and dies is worth buying and it doesn’t have to break the bank. Decent quality taps and dies come in two main types, carbon steel and high speed steel (HSS). HSS are the highest quality and least prone to wear, but they are also pricey and more suited to occasional use. Decent carbon steel tools are fine.

Cutting a thread from scratch has to be done in stages, shallow at first, getting deeper until the full depth of the thread is cut. With a male thread, that’s simple enough because dies are split and used in a die wrench. The wrench usually has three screws in the circular body, the two outer trying to squash the die into a smaller diameter and the screw at the center, which has a pointed tip, trying to open it up. By juggling the two, it’s easy enough to progressively reduce the diameter of the die with each cut.

With taps, adjustment isn’t possible. So for each thread size there are three taps, a taper (to start the thread) a second, which surprise, surprise, is used second, and finally the plug. The taper, as the name implies, is ground into a taper, with not much thread at the pointy end and a full thread at the top. This makes it easier to start the thread off straight and helps ensure the thread is being cut in line as the thread progresses.

Once the thread is established, the idea is to follow with the less-tapered second and finish with the plug which is pretty well blunt-ended. The thread at the top of both taper and second is full depth, so if the hole is open ended, such as through a metal plate, then either of the first two can often complete the job. The three stages really come into play when the hole is blind—it doesn’t pass all the way through the material—and the thread needs to be cut to the base of the hole. For that, a plug is essential.

Right, enough of that. How is it done? First off, a bit on the topography of a thread might be useful so we know what we’re doing. The smallest diameter measured at the root of the thread is the minor diameter. The largest diameter measured to the crests of the thread is the major diameter.

When drilling holes for threads, two drill sizes come into play. One is a clearance drill size, boring a hole just large enough for the thread to pass through, and the other is the tapping drill size, which is slightly larger than the minor diameter. Tables listing the tapping size drill for every thread are easy to find online, or they are available in print too. For cutting a male thread, choose a die that is the same size as the rod, so an 8 mm die for an 8 mm rod.

To tap a female thread, clamp the taper into the tap wrench and drip a few drops of oil on it. Then with the job held in a vice, put the tap in the hole making sure it’s square, grasp the wrench in both hands and gently start to cut the thread, turning clockwise for a normal right-hand thread. Cut in a few turns then unscrew half a turn to unclog the tap.

If tapping a blind hole, remove the tap from time-to-time and blow the swarf out of the hole. Keep adding plenty of cutting oil as you go, cut slowly and steadily and don’t be tempted to keep screwing the tap into the thread without backing off.  The tap is brittle and can jam and snap in clumsy hands. Finish the thread using the second and plug if necessary, clean the hole, screw something into it, then sit back and feel pleased with yourself.

Cutting a male thread using a die is a little more tricky. Make sure the rod being threaded is cut off as square as possible, filed flat at 90 degrees to the centerline of the rod, then lightly file a slight chamfer around the edge to help the die start. Mount the die in the die wrench and notice that the side without lettering has a slight taper to the threaded hole. This side should face the job with the lettering facing up.

Then, very carefully, grasp the die wrench and applying pressure rotate it at the same time to start the cut. The slight flare on the opening of the die, combined with the equally slight chamfer you have filed, helps the die bite. Again, take a couple of turns then come back half a turn as you would with a tap and so on. Keep adding cutting oil and have fun with what is a deeply satisfying workshop job.

Via Hagerty UK

The post DIY: Understanding taps, dies, and threads appeared first on Hagerty Media.

We all started somewhere, and for most of us garage-dwellers, it was a set of sockets and screwdrivers. From there we progressively acquired tools to complete tasks and projects until we reached a point where there wasn’t a project to be scared of. A big part of that is the mental toolbox, but the physical tools in your hands or on your bench can be critical in deciding if you are able to take on a project. We took a look around the garage and rounded up these eight tools that we recommend for a budding DIY enthusiast.

Drill press

Hand drills are wonderful things to have, but more accuracy never hurt anyone. A drill press opens up a whole new world for fabrication and part repair in its ability to drill holes square to the work surface time and time again. It also allows for making jigs and fixtures that can make it much easier to repair multiple parts as well as handling things that are fragile or need to be orientated just so while being drilled.

Organization

Keeping things in order is critical to not wasting time or space—two things that we never seem to have enough of. Spending time looking for tools or buying replacements because things keep “disappearing” is an obvious sign of someone that needs to invest more in a proper organization system. Good shop organization makes your time in the garage more efficient and also keeps things from piling up in the way. Add in the dollar savings from parts not being damaged while in storage and tools that are kept in better shape and thus last longer and you have a recipe for high-quality finished projects.

Lights

No one does good work in the dark. You literally need to see what you are doing in order to work on your projects. Prices on LED  have dropped precipitously in recent years, so stock up on an array of options. You can find everything from large, plug-in work lights on stands down to small battery pen lights that can be zip-tied or magnet-mounted to various surfaces to point light just where you need it. Having light is not only more efficient because you are not guessing at what you are doing, but also safer and that elevates the whole experience.

A torch setup

Heat is a superpower when it comes to working on crusty bits and pieces. Thermal expansion is your best friend to help with parts stuck together or holding fasteners tight. A full oxy-acetylene setup is ideal, but can be a pain to store and use safely if space is tight. At least have a MAPP gas torch as it burns a few hundred degrees hotter than your blue-tank propane torch and can put heat into parts quicker which can help keep seals and rubber parts close by safer in some situations. The internet joke about “can’t be tight if it’s liquid” is not really a joke to someone with oxygen and acetylene tank in their corner. Bonus: these can also be used to weld, braze, and solder metals.

Digital calipers

Tape measures and levels have their place in a garage, but those are mainly carpenters’ tools. Most automotive projects require more accuracy than a tape measure or ruler can provide. That’s where digital calipers come in. Even a cheap set is an upgrade from guess-and-check games about part fitment. In an era where the difference between the right and wrong bolt spacing on a random part can be a game of millimeters or fractions of an inch, it is truly great to be able to measure a piece at home and walk up to the parts counter armed with the knowledge that you will be taking the right part home—no second guess, no wasted time.

A high-quality tap set

The ability to create an accurate threaded hole is key to just about any fabrication project. It’s also important to be able to clean out or restore threads on vintage parts to ensure proper fit. Not all taps fit the bill, however. This is the first entry that includes a disclaimer: high quality. Taps are made from very hard material and the thing about that is if they break off in a hole you are in for a world of frustration. I personally think you have two options for acquiring taps: Buy the big set and cry once at the check you just wrote, or buy what you need as you need it. This all comes down to what kind of cash you have on hand at the time. I came into ownership of a cheap tap set and it just sits in the back of the toolbox these days as anytime I need to cut threads I will purchase a high-quality piece of tooling in the appropriate size for the project and then index it in the toolbox for the future.

A machinist handbook

Having knowledge means things get done right the first time. Sure, you could learn over years of mistakes and thousands of Google searches that may or may not lead you to the right info, or you can have a handy little book up on your shelf to help solve your problems. When doing any amount of fabrication, it is important to select the proper materials and hardware. A machinists handbook will give the tensile strength of hardware, numbers to help with material selection, and drill size for given tap sizes, plus way more.

Welder

Left for last because it’s the most obvious. Just about any DIY enthusiasts without a welder lusts after one, and for good reason. A welder can be a great problem solver and there is no reason not to have one these days with 110v models being more powerful, smaller, and more affordable than ever. Plan on burning a small spool or two or wire on scrap metal before joining any projects you care about. Best to make friends with your local metals or welding shop to see if you can pick their scrap bin once a week to get material to practice on.

Adding these eight tools and disciplines to a basic tool kit makes you more than prepared for any home DIY project. Have a recommendation you think should be added to the list? Post it in the Hagerty Community below.

The post 8 tools to up your DIY game appeared first on Hagerty Media.

Last month I asked members of the Hagerty Community which was the most underrated tool in their collection. The answers covered the entire spectrum of automotive repair, so the ten examples listed here may not necessarily be suited for your particular project. But this discussion brings up the point that if you haven’t yet interacted with your fellow Hagerty readers in our Community, whatcha waitin’ for?

Join the fun on the Community and enrich our collective passion for all things related to the automobile with your knowledge. Anyway, let’s get to the answers that YOU provided us.

MAPP gas torch

Community user RedRyder_SFZ chimed in with a tool that isn’t needed regularly—but when you need one, you need it bad! These torches run on MAPP gas for its safety and ease of use compared to a conventional oxygen-acetylene setup, thereby making them great for smaller projects like breaking free rusted bolts and brazing metal together. RedRyder went further to say: “Without my gas torch, I’d go through more cutting and grinding discs than I care to think about. Sometimes after the torch gets the rusty fasteners loose, I pound my chest and exclaim ‘I … have made fire!!!’”

Braided wiring loom installation tool (DIY)

Again, this isn’t a tool for your average brake job or oil change. But when you need the finishing touches under the hood for your project car, Hagerty Community user johnman has a word for you. He made a DIY tool to run wiring into these looms: “I discovered a quarter-inch wrench worked the best on the half-inch split plastic wrap. Put the wrench into the split gap sideways, then turn 90 degrees to open the gap. As you lay the wires into the gap, pull the wrench through, and follow along with your thumb to secure the wires inside.”

Reciprocating saw

The Sawzall cutting tool is a bit of an Internet hero these days, for many reasons and likely countless applications. Which is why our CitationMan has one, and tells his friends, “I can cut anything you own in half.” Enough said—it’s gotta make the list.

Energy

Okay, so this isn’t in your toolbox, but it’s deep within the owner of said toolbox. Indeed, the metaphorical toolbox of community member janedon is in desperate need of more energy, as it “is something I’m having more and more trouble finding.” Aren’t we all, as the years go by?

Rotary tools (and other spinning things)

We had multiple community members mention these magical spinning tools, as they seem to come in handy more often than we’d expect. Be it a handy and compact rotary tool like a Dremel, a beefy angle-grinder, or a hungry die-grinder, these suckers work like no other tools can. Or, as Community user FloridaMarty says: “Angle grinder for me … use it every week. I got tired of changing wheels, so I bought a separate grinder for each wheel, disc, or brush I use. I think it’s better than the ‘ol auto body cutoff tool for sheet metal cuts.”

Shop vacuum

It’s impossible to avoid making a mess in your shop. Even if you are tidy in your projects, the dirt that Mother Nature accumulates in a vehicle or a shop with an open garage/bay door is gonna eventually drive you nuts. Community user pauluptime agrees, and takes it even farther: “I can’t stand working on dirty parts or cluttered areas … especially when the work is over my face!” After personally dealing with battery corrosion followed by an oil change covered in something I like to call “white battery dust,” I wholeheartedly agree.

Pick tool

Sometimes smaller is better, as our hobby is full of things with impossibly inaccessible nooks and crannies. Hagerty Community user Alexsar slips into that small category and offers up the ever-present pick tool(s) for our consideration. Because small parts, fiddly bits of hardware, and even other tools wind up falling into places you cannot reach with your bare hands. Or as Alexsar put it, “they always slip into the tiniest crack they can find.” Ain’t that the truth!

Impact screwdriver

I, your humble-ish moderator, started off this Community question with this impact screwdriver, as I’ve used it on screws with “damaged heads from some knucklehead that stripped and overtorqued them in a previous repair.” Considering the affordable price, the impact screwdriver is worth its weight in gold. At least in my book … but it also prompted Kyle Smith to write an article about it.

The BFH, the smartphone (2-for-1 deal)

Indeed, both the big … ‘ol hammer and the smartphone are tools we’ve all used, and most of us love to use it when the opportunity arrives to employ either. JimR recommended both items in his post to the Hagerty Community for this reason alone. Some of us even have multiple hammer weights and WiFi-enabled iPads/tablets in our workspaces just to prove the point. Since JimR gave the nod to the hammer first, the photo reflects the smartphone losing in this particular version of the game Rock, Paper, Scissors. Because, while each of these tools are beyond valuable, they—like drinking orange juice after brushing your teeth—make a very, very poor pairing.

We clearly didn’t cover all such tools of underrated value in this 10-entry list, so which ones would you add? Sound off in the comments below.

The post According to you: 10 of the most underrated tools appeared first on Hagerty Media.

The tool spoke to me. A quiet voice, on the back of a shelf. So I knelt down and picked it up.

We were in Michigan. My father has a small cabin in the state’s rural northern half. Several years ago, when the Shell station in the nearest village went out of business, a local told me it was because the “town just wasn’t big enough.” In high school, I spent two summers working at a nearby boatyard, running errands and sanding down old Chris-Crafts under restoration. Twenty years on, I remember little from those months save the reek of Interlux spar varnish and where the tools are in the local hardware store.

Last month, my wife and I drove up to that cabin for a short vacation. For one reason or another, I hadn’t seen the hardware store in a few years, so I wandered over.

Inside the store, I turned the tool over in my hand. The dust-covered tag read MADE IN USA, bold letters. To the right, FOREVER FULL WARRANTY.

I looked back at the shelf. Racks and hangers of hand tools. The others were similar at a glance but undeniably different: sloppier molds and plating, brighter and tackier colors.

A leftover.

The voice spoke up again. Childlike, if children happened to be manufactured with toxic plating compounds.

“Where am I?”

I took a look around. No one else in the aisle. “Uh… hello?”

“Where?”

One of the side effects of going through a long year, and then a long year after that, is that you eventually reach a point where you’ll talk to anyone about anything. Often aloud.

“A hardware store?” I said. “In northern Michigan?”

“What is a northern Michigan?”

“A large part of the upper Midwest, but I feel like that’s not important right now.”

“What is important?”

“You’re a 3/16ths nut driver. I am a people.”

“Oh. What are we doing?”

“Either I’m losing my mind, or we’re having a chat near the fish hooks in broad daylight.”

“Neat!”

I turned the driver over in my hand. On the back of the tag, the words Sears, Roebuck, and Co., Hoffman Estates, IL.

Five dollars says you own Craftsman hand tools or know someone who does. Sears stores once dotted the country, their tools a kind of everyman commodity: American-made, low-priced without feeling cheap, durable but not too heavy, a nutty lifetime warranty. Those tools would soak up long volumes of hell, and when you inevitably broke one while doing something stupid, any of those stores would take it back and hand over a replacement, free.

Nearly 20 years ago, I found a rusty chrome ratchet extension in the paddock grass at Putnam Park. The end was cracked in half, blown apart with an impact gun. A week later, I walked into the Sears near my parents’ house in Kentucky and set the extension on the counter.

The sales guy was sitting with his feet on a shelf, paging through a catalog. Barely looked up. “Exchange box is over there,” he pointed. “Aisle’s in the back.”

“I didn’t buy this. Somebody else blew it up.”

He pointed at the box again, unimpressed. “Don’t matter. In the box.”

Many people have similar stories, because many people once went to Sears. Those stores came in several sizes, selling everything from clothing to tires, but even the small ones had a deep stash of car-specific tools and associated whatnot. The variety was half the draw. You’d walk in and give the clerk some 3/4-drive universal that had sheared apart during bonehead abuse, and then you’d stroll toward the socket aisle, past the dwell meters and muffler-bearing adjusticators, only to realize along the way that you urgently needed another timing-light inductor to replace the one you melted on a manifold six months ago. Jeweler’s picks over here and EZ-outs over there and Can’t remember which Allen bit I left at Road America, might as well buy the whole set.

Shortly after that, you walked out the door grasping items you would doubtless own forever, small money spent for what seemed like large victory, and you were happy.

Sears, Roebuck was founded in 1893. The Craftsman name was trademarked in 1927. Nine decades later, after the firm had declared bankruptcy and descended to store closures and a holding company, Stanley Black & Decker bought the tool line for $900 million. Craftsman stuff is now sold in certain hardware and home stores. A few of the old Sears suppliers stuck around, but the product rarely shows it. Somewhere in that late decline, the tool designs were noticeably cost-cut and resourced offshore. (For its part, SB&D claims to be working on that last bit.) 

“Wait,” said the nut driver, thoughtlessly interrupting a fine inner monologue on the long fall of quality American retail.

“Yes?”

“Am I the cost-cut garbage?”

“Nah. Last of the good. Never found a home.”

“This Sears … it must have been wonderful.”

“More like ordinary, but that was kind of the point?”

“Huh?”

“The tools were just a part. There were also washing machines and vacuums and discount jeans.”

“You bought pants there.”

“Not me.”

“A vacuum?”

“Once, I think?”

“Mostly just things like me?”

“Pretty much.”

Great American-made tool brands still exist. For that matter, you can still buy vintage Craftsman bits online. But each of those options can get shockingly expensive, and they aren’t the same as getting exactly what you need, on a moment’s notice, without feeling like you either paid too much or settled for disposable chintz. The closest old-Craftsman analogue, at least in terms of store count and car focus, is now Harbor Freight: visibly cheap but affordable tools, sold across America but made elsewhere, that work fine for long enough, except when they don’t.

“I feel old,” said the nut driver, sighing. “With dead parents.”

“That fall always seemed like a choice, you know? Sears used to be forward-thinking. When malls grew into a threat, they built their own malls. They founded a credit-card brand before everyone was doing it. Then the internet happened and somebody reached the limits of their imagination.”

I set the nut driver back on the rack. Then I spent far too long sifting through ratchets and screwdrivers, looking for old among the new. Only a handful of leftovers remained, and in odd sizes. The newer wrenches were particularly off-putting, the same at a glance but cheesier in plating. Heavier, too, with more grain in the finish. A shopworn claw hammer looked the part, its rubber handle cracked and powdery, but the sticker on the back said it was made only last year. Just falling apart.

Nostalgia can be insidious. Use it wrong, you grow convinced that yesterday is the only possible peak. Which means existence must be getting worse every day, and at that point, why bother getting out of bed at all? The world is generally improving, of course. But not in every way at once; it gets better in fits and starts and in different segments across the spectrum of human endeavor. And sometimes, for reasons that have nothing to do with the advances, it stalls or goes backward for a while.

I felt a weight in my palm and looked down—the driver was back in my hand. Must have picked it up without thinking.

“Hi!” it said.

“Just thinking,” I said.

“About what?”

“The occasionally tangible yet perpetually transient nature of societal evolution vis-a-vis emotional steepage.”

“Deep thoughts for a hardware store.”

I found myself wondering if clinical insanity is something you see coming. “We all get therapy somewhere, I guess?”

“I would like to go home with you.”

“You aren’t free, and I don’t meet many 3/16th nuts.”

“You have no idea how often I hear that.”

A life around metric cars, and I can’t tell you the last time I touched a 3/16th fastener. More to the point, nut drivers as a breed are an acquired taste. Awkward, clunky little things.

I stood there for a moment, feeling strangely guilty. Then I remembered the old joke about old people: If a new object or idea met the world before you were born, you accept it as part of the way things are. Anything new from birth to age 40 is up for debate, evaluated on merit. And anything invented after you reach middle age is inhuman devolution that must be killed with fire.

My shop box is a mix. A few family hand-me-downs, but mostly bought on my own. Blue Point, SK, Snap-on, Beta. Plus a glut of old Craftsman.

I have, over the seasons, purchased an obnoxious amount of stuff online. Still, there’s something about walking into a store and being happily surprised by a shelf.

A second later, I was grabbing a few cleaning supplies and doodads that I needed but also didn’t need at all, and then I was walking to the front of the store, and then I was placing a dusty nut driver on a counter next to a credit-card reader and wondering what it feels like to adopt an orphan.

Seven dollars and forty-nine cents. On the back of that tag, the words If any Craftsman hand tool ever fails…

Everyone has a warranty these days. Can’t tell you why that one meant something.

My friend Zach Bowman owns a much-abused screwdriver named Mr. Bendy. He uses it for all the non-screw jobs for which screwdrivers are prime, the stuff screwdriver manufacturers specifically ask you not to do. I enjoy Mr. Bendy, and stupid names are fun. My new friend is now Captain Useless. Maybe he parties like Mr. Bendy and finds work outside his design brief. Maybe he sits in a drawer for years. Doesn’t matter. Nobody buys emotionally charged objects in a blinding flash of logic. Some things enter your life simply to remind you of why they entered your life. And inanimate tools without pulse or brain do not talk to you, ever.

Unless, of course, you’re meeting unexpected memory and delight in a quiet aisle in the far reaches of the great upper Midwest. And, more than anything, willing to listen.

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Lathes are one of those tools of the promised land that you dream of for years. By the time one comes into your life, there’s probably already a list of ideas brewing on how to make small, round objects out of larger—also usually round—objects… Well, sure, that’s probably a gross oversimplification of the lathe’s machining process, but that’s the simplified beauty of these machines. They’re centuries old now, used in the production of anything from table legs to canons, and their utility goes beyond the custom parts you can imagine until it’s right in front of you. Need to shorten a bolt? Bam, the lathe. Weird replacement A/C clutch not fitting? Chuck it up, lathe down the hub and fix the problem without another trip to the parts store to gamble with another clutch. With a lathe, it’s easy to make or modify components precisely, and it can also be a game-changer on just about any project. The trick is that its learning curve is steeper than the Grapevine and comes with harsh consequences for failure—to both you and the machine.

I came into a crusty, seized-up 1925 South Bend C9-10 Jr., recently. Underneath a crumbling plastic tarp in the Arizona sun, the change gears and carriage had begun to rust. The spindle could rotate a bit, though the crunching from deep inside the machine asked for patience. For a few weeks, I had worked penetrating oil in, dropping heavier machine oil in the bearings. There was more risk in spinning it dry than anything else, but eventually, it could be coaxed into a few care-free revolutions by hand.

Once I plugged it in and hit the power switch for the first time, I had no clue the slippery slope I was about to hop down. The most obvious thing you need is practice time, there’s just nothing that replaces hands-on experience, but to get there you’ll need a good foundation to work on when it comes to picking up your first lathe.

1. Tools

Lathes are machines in the truest sense, they’re complicated and slightly cantankerous with several moving parts that require their own set of tools to support their use. We’re not talking cutting tools and the like just yet, but the box full of Allen keys, wrenches, screw drivers, and whatever else is needed to operate the lathe. This is a secondary investment too, you can always pull what you need from the general tool box, but over time, the lathe grows its own dedicated pile of tools so that everything is in close reachso you won’t need to wander off in search of a tool to continue the project.

The tooling itself —the sets of cutters, drills, and fixtures that shape the part—is probably another story in itself, but I’ve found the best way to affordably stock up on a variety of pieces is to buy out old tool boxes from retired machinists. They’ve spent years perfecting a toolset, weeding out superfluous things, and finding every other useful bit of tooling for any given situation. The key things you’ll want to start with are basic cutting tools for exterior shaping (tool steel bits are cheap and can be resharpened when dull, but buy into insert tooling as the need arises for faster cutting speeds), centering and drilling tools for boring holes, and a parting tool for cutting off the final piece—at a bare minimum. You’ll also need a basic pair of dial calipers to start, though it won’t be too long before you start to dive into hyper-accurate dial indicators, bore gauges, and micrometers.

Chips, the pieces of metal that are removed from the part during the machining process, are also a chore to clean, trash, and dispose of. There’s a catch pan (old baking sheet) under the lathe for catching chips, I have a pair of needle-nose pliers for grabbing birds nests, use mechanics gloves during post-work clean up to prevent cuts, have a dedicated broom for sweeping chips (so they don’t spread to other areas of the home or shop space), and use extra-thick trash bags to prevent tears.

2. Maintenance

Just like any mechanical system on your project car, lathes require maintenance and occasional cleaning too. This will be a little more case-specific to your exact machine, but for this early 1925 South Bend, it needs an oiling routine on top of the usual clean-up that goes with machining tools. This required purchasing a handful of industrial oils and greases, hand-oilers for dispensing them, and various sizes of paint brushes too. Newer lathes may be less needy, but the South Bend demands a routine to maintain its smooth operation with oil-film bearings and to prevent unusual wear that could lead to sloppier parts. About a dozen lubrication points are hit, before the ways (the rails upon which the carriage and tooling slide) get a light coating of heavy oil for the carriage’s oil-retaining felts to soak up. From there, periodic checking of oil cups on the spindle and motor counter shaft, along with the occasional squirt in the lead screw bearings becomes just another operation in your machining process. Once the project is complete, the lathe is brushed clean of chips and made to be as spotless as possible before a final round of oiling—these kinds of things stack up over time in operating costs, though the extra time is relatively cheap compared buying another machine.

3. Safety!

If you don’t already have genuine respect for machine tools, look up “lathe accidents” on your favorite video hosting site and prepare to be shocked at the incredible power these workhorses have. A big chunk of mass spinning at high RPMs behind a gear-reduced motor has little concern over reeling your arm in like a fishing line and generally ruining your day from there on out. Still not enough? Search up images of rusting pieces of metal in the whites of people’s eyes, chips machining—yeah, buddy. Lathes demand respect that many handtools don’t thanks to the inherent traits of their capabilities, so extra attention goes into having the right routines and gear. Safety glasses are cheap insurance, sleeves must be short, wild hair has to be tamed, gloves are generally a no-no, and total situational awareness is of the utmost importance.

Routines build up a subconscious checklist, so it helps to do every machine operation as consistently as possible. Take the chuck, for example. If I need to loosen or tighten it, I’ll always pull the belt tensioning handle and put the lathe in neutral by disconnecting the motor from the spindle. On the lathe’s bench, the chuck key has a hole drilled in the table just for it to sit in, right by the power switch. The routine is to always pick it up and place it down there, never leaving it in the chuck. These little habits are there so that the result of the routine leaves the lathe in a “safe” state of being, bumping the switch won’t accidentally power the lathe while handling it, the chuck key won’t be in the actual chuck when you power it up—potentially jamming the machine or simply moon-shooting the T-handled projectile in any given direction.

4. Upgrades

No machine is perfect, however. Most often too, you’ll be picking up something vintage. Decades-old machines are what most people come into as their first lathe. Research into the lathe you’re buying, find out if there’s any immediate upgrades that need to be budgeted for, or what things are mere conveniences. For the South Bend, a quick dig of the McMaster Carr bible will bring up a bearing upgrade that replaces a fiber washer with a needle roller thrust bearing. The fiber washers wear away and mine needed to be replaced, but this upgrade eliminates one maintenance item (having to adjust the tension of the spindle on that washer as it wears) while also providing a little more stiffness to the overall assembly. For cheaper mini-lathes, there are also upgrades to bearings, change gears, and other minor fixes that help to solve many of the budget-focused issues they have.

Once you get down the rabbit hole of variable speed motor controllers and digital read-out kits, the wallet begins to get wrung out, but there’s little functional difference at the end of the day between an old and new lathe for the home shop, so if the value proposition is right, adding modern features to vintage machines can really bring up the bang-for-the-buck. If the lathe can meet your tolerances consistently, they’re worth that extra investment down the line, with many upgrades being transferable to a new machine as you upgrade.

5. Research

New to machining? Besides looking for local technical classes, YouTube is a surprisingly great resource. The community of machinists who have contributed to this mineshaft of video on all aspects of the work has done incredible work in bringing the barrier of entry down for machining, with channels like Blondihacks, Joe Pieczynski, Tubalcain, Keith Fenner, and This Old Tony working as great starting points for you watch-and-learn types. For my South Bend, the company released a series of books over the years titled How to Run a Lathe, which gets into machining technique as well.

You’ll also want to know as much about the machine as possible too, what service parts to have around, oils, and other considerations. You might get lucky on YouTube here, I was able to find guys like Halligan142 that documented their South Bend upgrades and maintenance; but the real stuff to dig up are the factory books on the machine. Having a line on replacement parts, maintenance intervals, and assembly diagrams can make a huge difference in how quickly you get a handle on a new-to-you lathe.

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These days, it’s never been easier to get into performing your own automotive work at home. Walk the aisles of just about any home center or parts store and there will be tidy, credit-card-swipe solutions that can quickly transform you from tool-less to fit to be dangerous. Such tool kits mainly comprise of sockets and ratchets, combination wrenches, allen keys, and screwdrivers, which sets you up to do a lot. When push comes to shove you’ll need more tools to safely and correctly complete most jobs though. Here are six important hand tools we think are essential purchases for and aspiring mechanics and veterans alike.

Line wrenches

Maybe you already have a set of basic combination wrenches, the base of any tool kit. A set of line wrenches are their trade-school educated older brother. Specialized for one task, line wrenches will save you many headaches when working on vintage cars with flared fittings. Corrosion often sets in on the threads of these flared fittings, and the two-flat engagement of a combination wrench on the soft material is far from ideal. Round off the fitting and you not only have a tough piece to remove, but also a line that you will need to cut and re-flare to replace. Line wrenches are shaped to give extra bite, despite the opening for the line to pass through, ensuring more secure contact that won’t cause damage.

Breaker bar

There are a multitude of DIY tasks that call for high torque application to break loose mechanical fasteners—and that is before you factor in the rust and corrosion that render nuts and bolts chemically stuck. While you could put a cheater pipe on your ratchet to break stubborn items loose, sooner or later you’d probably also obliterate the mechanism inside your ratchet. Get a good strong breaker bar and use it often. It’ll save your ratchet, not to mention your knuckles. That’s a win-win.

Medium-sized hammer

While a hasty internet search may indicate a big hammer and adjustable wrench are all you need for a full restoration, the reality is quite a bit more complicated. At the bare minimum, a large hammer’s usefulness (in my opinion) is greatly exaggerated. Yes, there are times you need some real force to knock things apart, but the vast majority of the time you are better served by a medium-sized ball-peen hammer that you can fit into tighter spaces with better control. Even better, a medium ball-peen hammer can then tap things together with an easy wrist action or provide sizable blows swung from the elbow. Accuracy comes with time and experience, so having a five-pound sledge in novice hands is asking for trouble.

Pry bars

Screwdrivers are not pry bars, no matter how often you might use them that way in a pinch. A small set of pry bars is often quite affordable and will keep your screwdrivers from breaking and otherwise becoming mangled. That means screwdrivers that last longer and are less likely to be bent in a way that round off or damage a fastener.

Punch set

A punch set is something you can probably get by without for quite some time, but once these handy items arrive in your toolbox you will find yourself using them all the time. If you are on a really tight budget, go to your local hardware store and pick out a selection of three-inch long or longer grade-eight bolts in various diameters. These can serve quite well as punches in a pinch, but by the time you mangle one or two of them to the point of replacement you might just wish you’d gone with actual punches from the get-go. Use them for knocking things apart and for alignment during assembly.

Gasket scraper

Go as fancy or a simple as you want here. I received this Motion Pro gasket scraper as a gift a few years ago and was initially unimpressed, but as of late I have been using it a lot and changed my tune. It’s a fancy-looking aluminum handle with interchangeable steel or brass edges. This tool could perhaps be replaced by a simple razor blade for most situations, but the razor requires more careful use and attention to prevent damaging the gasket surface you’re cleaning. If you are working on vehicles—modern or vintage—you will inevitably need to do some scraping on an area where deftness and care are essential. A dedicated tool that gives better control for it is a wise spend.

Oftentimes the tool set grows alongside one’s skills and confidence so, these six tools are just the start. As anyone with a crowded toolbox will tell you, this is a deep rabbit hole. Think we missed a must-have hand tool? Leave it in the comments below.

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Not everyone wants or needs to carry a tool kit in each vehicle they drive. Your late-model daily-driver that’s proved totally reliable shouldn’t need more than a spare tire and a jack, if that. Each tool kit should be balanced for the vehicle and its intended purpose. Even if you could carry a Snap-On truck’s worth of tools, many mechanical issues aren’t practical to fix on the side of the road. For labor-intensive problems, it’s best to have your phone with you to call roadside assistance for a tow—whether to your own garage or to a trusted repair shop. In the spirit of this list, perhaps a phone is truly the #1 piece of electronics that can rescue you from a spot of bother.

However, if you venture off-road in your Jeep or pickup, or if you find yourself in more remote locations searching for fun backroads, you likely want to be much more self-sufficient. You’ll want to carry a well-stocked tool bag, plus spares for the parts most likely to leave you crippled in the event of failure.

Last year, our own Kyle Smith gave some tips on how to properly select the tools to bring with you in your vehicle. His advice led me to practice some of my most probable road-side repairs. In the process, I realized that 2 additional feet of extensions made a disabling sensor failure a 10-minute fix rather than an obscenity-laced knuckle-buster.

For my Jeep Cherokee, I keep a basic socket set—in standard and in metric, because Jeep hadn’t yet made up its mind in 1998—with lots of extensions, wrenches, pliers, and screwdrivers (including Torx drivers). There are some spare nuts and bolts, fuses and relays, and wiring terminals in there as well. I also keep some spare fluids (ATF and engine oil at least, along with a funnel) and the most common parts that could fail and leave the 4.0-liter stranded: the MAP sensor, the crankshaft position sensor, and the coil.

Following the lessons from Smith’s previous article, I decided to add three electronic doodads to my on-board tool kit.

Jumper box

Battery jumpstarters are smaller and lighter than ever. I’ve used this little one a few times, and it’s even managed to crank a totally dead, supercharged V-8 engine. They can be topped off using a 12V port, but the good ones seem to hold a charge quite well over time. This compact jumpstarter can also serve as a battery bank to charge a dead phone. Consider one in addition to or in lieu of a set of jumper cables so that you can get out of a jam on your own—just be sure to check from time to time to make sure it’s topped off.

Multimeter

You don’t have to be an electrician to use a multimeter to diagnose a bad relay, a break in continuity, or a faulty switch. A simple electrical issue can be fixed with just a few parts and, unlike a major mechanical issue (a water pump failure, for example), doesn’t typically require you to swap out a big, bulky part. While plenty of people have multimeters in their toolbox, a basic, affordable version might be a good addition to your onboard tool kit.

Diagnostic scanner

For vehicles made in the last 25 years, a scanner can help you quickly pinpoint a bad sensor, leading you to a much speedier repair. They’re light, compact, and inexpensive. Some even use Bluetooth to connect with your phone; these are even easier to stash in a glove box or center console, because they get rid of the screen and cable. Determining the problem helps you decide whether your issue can be fixed quickly or if you’ve got to call up the ol’ flatbed. I’ve used this scan tool to quickly locate a bad connection in a MAP sensor that was causing poor drivability.

If you’ve know some uncommon, must-have items in your vehicle tool kit, please share them in the comments.

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The unsung hero of the automotive world is the threaded fastener. Most people only think about the bolts and screws of their machines when they have to, when the components are stripped, seized, or broken off. That dismissive attitude, however, may cause these components to strip, seize, or break in the first place.

For instance, if you are working on a classic motorcycle, you are probably using the wrong screwdriver—and are setting yourself up for disaster. Hear me out.

Let’s talk a bit of history first. Screws were first created using files to grind threads into round stock. Like anything handmade, the process was laborious and the results were inconsistent. With the advent of machinery to roll threads rather than cut them, screws and bolts began to usurp nails in production environments. Threads may be the identifying mark of a screw, but the truly critical part is the design of the head, which determines the tool engagement that imparts torque to drive the fastener into the material (or nut).

Slotted screw heads were the easiest to manufacture, but inventor John P. Thompson thought that a crosshair-style engagement would be a better idea. He patented the idea in 1932 but, unfortunately, he was not a very good salesman. Thompson abandoned the venture and sold the patent to Henry Phillips, who formed the Phillips Screw Company and went about manufacturing and selling the hardware. In 1935 Phillips filed a patent application that modified the Thompson design slightly and tailored it for production lines, in which screw guns were becoming commonplace. The Phillips screw was born.

That patent for a cruciform, or cross-shaped, screw head expired in 1966. Though the style became generic, the Phillips-head design never lost its uniquely American roots. The cross-haired head was created for ease of assembly and was always intended for production environments, in which efficiency was key. Making a Phillips head requires only two cuts with a tool. The finished head has a rounded profile and tends to “cam out” when high torque is applied to it; Phillips-head screws worked perfectly with screw guns because the fastener was “foolproof.”

However, some countries saw the “speed over accuracy” American production style as crude. Rather than engineer a fastener to avoid over-tightening, the Japanese wanted to shift responsibility for precision from the mechanical component to the craftsman.

This concept brought about a redesign of the Phillips screw, commonly known as the Japanese Industrial Standard (or JIS). This type of screw head looks very similar to a Phillips, with the exception of a single, tiny dot. JIS fasteners may look a lot like a Phillips-head, but the tool engagement is far superior—if you are using the correct tool.

For years, I piddled with project motorcycles in my parents’ driveway or in a storage unit across from my college dorm, often getting frustrated by the screws securing items like engine case covers. The problem wasn’t my technique. It was my tools. I was attacking these JIS fasteners with my Phillips screwdriver out of ignorance. Yes, a #3 Phillips fits pretty good in a JIS 3 head, but once you start applying torque—especially to a screw that is properly stuck—you are far more likely to strip the fastener than if you were using a JIS driver.

Once I realized the error of my ways, I found that JIS screwdrivers were worth every penny. They saved me countless moments of frustration. I am a fan of buying high-quality screwdrivers and keeping them nice: I have a set of screwdrivers that are exclusively for carburetor service, plus a general set for all other tasks. You may think I’m crazy for having redundant tools, but strip out one carb jet because you’re using a worn-out screwdriver, and you’ll change your tune. I’m similarly obsessed with JIS screwdrivers and bit tips in the garage. If you play with vintage Japanese motorcycles, you should be too.

***

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The post That Phillips-head screw isn’t what you think it is appeared first on Hagerty Media.

I don’t care how fancy your wrenches are, if you’ve been turning them long enough, you’ll have a few custom jobbies in the drawer before too long. Toolmakers couldn’t dream up every nightmare situation you’ll find yourself in, and hacking up an unsuspecting wrench can be a total lifesaver for getting the job done.

Today’s Wrenchin’ Wednesday involves three ways to modify a wrench, and it came out of having just wrapped up a fresh injection pump and injectors on my 1996 Suburban with the 6.5, whose spider-like fuel fittings for all eight cylinders required some creativity to reach.

Fixing the angle of the dangle

A lot of times, the wrench may be too close to something you’re swinging against, or you’ll need the wrench to reach around a corner in order to access the fastener or fitting you need. A judicious application of heat, naturally, tends solve the issue.

A propane torch with a blue can will suffice, but find yourself a yellow canister of MAPP for fast results. Heat both sides of the wrench until you get it glowing red. It will tend to bend at the softest point of the heated area, so keep this in mind when positioning the torch relative to where you need the wrench to bend.

Once you start to see it reach a glowing yellow-orange through both sides, make your move with the torch still blasting. You can bend it along the flat side seen here, or even give it an S-curve like the 19mm in the topmost image of this story.

You have two choices to quench it: Water is the easiest to get your hands on, but I also have a tank for recycling oil and dunk hot tools in there to marginally restore some hardness to the tool (due to the oil’s carbon content).

Low-profile line wrench

Line wrenches are box-end wrenches that have been pie-cut so that they can slip around a hard line and spin the fitting. To prevent the halves of the box-end from flexing and slipping on the fitting, often times, line wrenches are made thicker than a standard box-end, which works great for rigidity but can become a hindrance in tight spaces.

Chopping up our own line wrench won’t have the rigidity of a pre-made one, so care must be taken to not overtorque it until the box-end starts to flex. That said, its wall thickness is also thin enough to spin next to a very dense injection pump rotor with its eight injection lines coming together.

Slim-fast for the open-end

Just like before, I needed more room to swing the wrench in order to keep spinning a fitting off, or to loosen the turbo’s fasteners (which are right against the up-pipe). A flap disc here is perfect for knocking down the width of a wrench’s open-end, give it more swing before the wrench butted up against something else.

It’s a small change that will reduce the rigidity some, but being able to easily spin a bolt and conveniently catch the next flat far outweighs the reduction in long-term viability. At the end of the day, wrenches can be cheaply replaced. The time waiting around for the “right” tool can’t.

The post Wrenchin’ Wednesday: Chopping and bending custom wrenches appeared first on Hagerty Media.

Type “kitchen junk drawer” into your favorite internet search platform and you will get literally tens of millions of results. The kitchen junk drawer is a known thing, accepted by just about everyone. The garage junk drawer is not, however, but I am here to tell you that it should be, as it has saved the day in my shop more times than I care to admit.

The thing is, you have to break your mind from the black hole of twist-ties, rubber bands, and hardware to that Ikea thing you assembled three years ago that is the kitchen junk drawer and shift to a storage spot in your workspace filled with, well, junk. Except this is all about perception. In the garage, it pays to be resourceful—both in time and finances. Adapting some cast-off item that was left over from the last work session to the project you are working on is worthwhile—and you probably have the space to hold onto at least some small pieces that will be welcome in the future.

The garage junk drawer should be filled with items that appear useless at first glance. Pieces like mismatched fasteners, small chunks of material stock, old hotel keys, and broken tools. These cast-off pieces are useless right up until they aren’t, and that time is usually when you have your car half apart and the parts house is closed. You could call it a night and wait until the next day to spend more money on what is likely already a money pit. Where is the fun in that?

Instead you can rifle through this land of misfit toys and find something to play with. You damaged a gasket on installation? A good junk drawer has some gasket paper scraps that can fabricate a new one. Lost a bolt? You might be one of those DIY folks that has a whole nut and bolt kit on the shelf, but most of us aren’t. I scrapped off a car a few years ago and am still using bolts from that poor, rusty Corvair to fill in on my current coupe after I drop something and the nut or bolt disappears into another dimension, where it hangs out with all the socks that disappeared from the dryer.

I’ll admit there’s a fine line between things not worth saving and things that should continue to take up space in your garage. The hardest part of deciding is that it is unique to you, your projects, and your space. My junk drawer is literally a drawer, and the smallest one in my tool chest at that. I set aside one day a year in the depths of winter to go through and clean it out too. Items that I haven’t touched in a while get recycled, along with the bits that make me question why I put them in there.

A few of my favorite junk drawer things are old guitar strings, specifically the bronze-wounds middle strings from my acoustic guitars. When they come off the guitar they are no longer good guitar strings, but the phosphor bronze strings are both small enough in gauge and soft enough that they can be used to clean out clogged brass jets without deforming them, unlike harder metals like steel or aluminum. Guitar strings also are perfect for hanging parts to be painted, as they bend to hooks or twist together nicely.

It’s not holding onto a small part or piece with the intention of using it for it’s designed purpose. This is about having a stock of things that you can flex your brain and tools to create the item you need to complete a task, temporary or not. A plastic coaster becomes a spacer to hold a motorcycle fuel tank without cracking. Offcuts of aluminum flat stock become templates for drilling accurate holes in a custom piece where you only get one shot. The list goes on.

Some might call this whole thing upcycling, but I think it’s just being smart with what you have. Don’t throw out things that might be useful—at least not right away. Let them hang out in your garage junk drawer for a bit. They might end up in the garbage soon enough, but they might also save your next project. What’s the harm in holding onto something for a minute and finding out?

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Now and again, an invention becomes so ubiquitous that it’s rendered practically invisible. An industrial designer might consider that the ultimate compliment—a bellwether for a product’s longevity. All this was running through my brain when I recently had to explain to a friend what “that red thing” was, and what purpose it served. Really, when’s the last time you thought especially hard about the humble jerrycan?

In defense of my friend, who is far from dense, the jerrycan is obsolete as far as most urban-dwelling people are concerned. In the modern city, fluids simply gush from the tap or flow from a nozzle, rarely requiring a second thought. Not everyone can fathom that potable water is still in short supply for many populations in developing countries, or that transporting fuel safely can be a matter of life or death.

War has a powerful, almost unparalleled influence on driving innovation. The jerrycan has its roots in Germany, where it was conceived, mass-produced, and stockpiled beginning in 1937 for the impending conflict between nations. At the time, the invention was anything but invisible to American engineer Paul Pleiss, adherent of the all-important axiom that recognizing a great idea is equally as important as having one.

Pleiss worked for Ambi-Budd Presswerk (ABP), a German auto body manufacturing company and extension of a Philadelphia-based industrial outfit called the Budd Company. Pioneered by titans Edward G. Budd and Arthur Müller, ABP set up shop in Rumpler’s old Berlin factory where it specialized in pressed-steel technologies used for making BMW and Ford bodies. When war seemed imminent, ABP pivoted into operations concerning military needs, including bodying the iconic light-duty Kübelwagen and Schwimmwagen. The company’s side project—developing one of the first jerrycan designs—was perhaps even more influential, even if it at the time wasn’t officially recognized.

Hitler made mastery of liquid transport a priority, tasking Germany to devise a rigid and robust unit of storage that could withstand wear, pour well, stack conveniently, and carry easily. Müller, in addition to his ownership stake in ABP, was involved with a German-based engineering firm called Müller Engineering that was also working on the jerrycan project. In 1937, Vinzenz Grünvogel, chief engineer at Müller’s namesake firm, was awarded official credit for the creation of the Wehrmacht-Einheitskanister (Armed Forces Unit Canister), but it’s easy to see a through line from Grünvogel’s final design to Müller’s investment in ABP.

Pleiss, the American, recognized immediately the significance this new type of efficient liquid transport held for Germany. The jerrycan was superior in every way to the outdated American cans adopted from the WWI-era and infinitely more practical than the British “flimsies”—British low-grade four-gallon cans made of tin. The name was apt.

Richard M. Daniel, a retired WWII U.S. Naval commander and chemical engineer, recounted the merits of the German design on jerrycan.com:

“It was flat-sided and rectangular in shape, consisting of two halves welded together as in a typical automobile gasoline tank. It had three handles, enabling one man to carry two cans and pass one to another man in bucket-brigade fashion. Its capacity was approximately five U.S. gallons; its weight filled, forty-five pounds. Thanks to an air chamber at the top, it would float on water if dropped overboard or from a plane. Its short spout was secured with a snap closure that could be propped open for pouring, making unnecessary any funnel or opener. A gasket made the mouth leakproof. An air-breathing tube from the spout to the air space kept the pouring smooth. And most important, the can’s inside was lined with an impervious plastic material developed for the insides of steel beer barrels. This enabled the jerrycan to be used alternately for gasoline and water.”

This level of detail and practical consideration was light-years ahead of anything the Allies had in this arena. By the time war broke out in 1939, the Allies would have had to dedicate a Herculean effort to produce a comparable piece of equipment. That’s when Pleiss entered the picture.

As the story goes, it all started with a road trip in early summer, 1939, right before the outbreak of European conflict. Pleiss and a fellow ABP engineer planned to embark on a journey across Eastern Europe and the Middle East, beginning in Berlin and ending in Eastern India, riding in a purpose-built vehicle. The problem? They were short on fluid storage. The quick fix, naturally, was to appropriate three examples of Grünvogel’s Wehrmacht-Einheitskanister from the nearby Tempelhof Airport before departing Berlin. The pair promptly secured the canisters to the underside of the rig and rode off with a few choice examples of intellectual property.

When war broke out, Pleiss’s German traveling companion was called back into service. Suddenly, the American was left to his own devices with a great frontier ahead of him. Before flying home, his friend allegedly slid him the comprehensive design plans. When Pleiss managed to Calcutta following what must have been one hell of an adventure, he stored their custom-prepped rig—jerrycans included—and flew back to the U.S. with the plans in hand. Afterward, he’d arrange for the vehicle to be shipped with the cans still attached safely underneath.

For whatever reason, the U.S. military did not latch onto this German innovation with immediate gratitude. The Brits, on the other hand, took to Pleiss’s revelation with great enthusiasm. They’d confiscated many of the cans after the Germans began to invade Norway, and it didn’t take long until British servicemen coveted the German invention as the gold standard of liquid transport. It’s at this point that the Wehrmacht-Einheitskanister ostensibly picked up its lingua franca name of “jerrycan.” As the Brits got the jump on producing replicas, the American military authorities remained steadfastly unconvinced.

It took several clever pleas to move the needle. Here’s Daniel again:

“My colleague and I learned quickly about the jerrycan’s advantages and the Allied can’s costly disadvantages, and we sent a cable to naval officials in Washington stating that 40 percent of all the gasoline sent to Egypt was being lost through spillage and evaporation. We added that a detailed report would follow. The 40 percent figure was actually a guess intended to provoke alarm, but it worked. A cable came back immediately requesting confirmation.

We then arranged a visit to several fuel-handling depots at the rear of Montgomery’s army and found there that conditions were indeed appalling. Fuel arrived by rail from the sea in fifty-five-gallon steel drums with rolled seams and friction-sealed metallic mouths. The drums were handled violently by local laborers. Many leaked. The next link in the chain was the infamous five-gallon “petrol tin.” This was a square can of tin plate that had been used for decades to supply lamp kerosene. It was hardly useful for gasoline. In the hot desert sun, it tended to swell up, burst at the seams, and leak. Since a funnel was needed for pouring, spillage was also a problem.”

It wasn’t until early 1943 that the British finally pumped out 2 million competent jerrycans for wartime use. In the meantime, battles continued to be fought and lives lost. By early 1944, the Americans and the rest of the Allies were finally on board. By this point, the Brits possessed all the necessary means to manufacture a jerrycan rivaling the German original. Roughly five years from the time Pleiss and his German friend passed through the Middle East on their way to India with three stolen jerrycans on board, a British factory in the Middle East was making millions of jerrycans destined for Allied forces.

We hear a lot about the tanks, automobiles, and weapons that helped turn the tide of this gargantuan international crisis, but the simple jerrycan doesn’t exactly get a lot of airtime on History Channel. Nevertheless, jerrycans carried the fuel and water essential for wartime operations, and the same basic design remains in use today throughout public and private sectors. The term has grown to include a family of cans differing in size, shape, and color, but their essential function remains intact. Next time you’re out overlanding and see a jerrycan strapped to the roof of a 4Runner, it might not seem so invisible.

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Some tools in my garage that work beautifully. The weight of these tools is a reassurance, a comforting heft that produces a feeling of confidence. When using a 90-tooth ratchet or my favorite pair of wire strippers, I am the house and the house always wins.

There’s another subset of tools tucked in my carefully organized drawers. This group is not on my side. They’re higher-risk tools, with equal potential to blast through a roadblock in a project and to ruin my hard-fought progress. With one of these in hand, I become a chain smoker slumped in the flashing lights of a penny slot machine, facing daunting odds and clinging to blind luck. The mafia boss of this second group is the impact screwdriver.

It’s a simple tool—it doesn’t even have batteries that could fail. When you need an impact screwdriver, no other tool will do, and its weight transmits the heft of this decision from fingertip to brain. Will this be an easy evening project or an all-night, “I’m not giving up until the coffee pot starts automatically brewing?” The impact screwdriver will decide the fate of your project, and the odds are not in your favor—for multiple reasons.

First, if you are grabbing the impact screwdriver, you have likely already done some damage to the fastener you’re attempting to extract—if not, you will soon. Your strategy in such a situation falls somewhere between Tim Taylor’s “more power” approach and Homer Simpson’s “bang method.” Second, you’re probably using the tips that came with the tool. These bits are usually constructed of the finest Chinesium, an incredibly hard substance that’s as brittle as my grandmother’s bones.

With that context, let’s play out the possible scenarios and evaluate the odds.

You insert the screwdriver tip into the stuck fastener, preload the mechanism with a slight twist, offer up a sacrifice to whatever deity you believe in, and give the end a solid thwack with the largest hammer you can use. You open your eyes—you likely closed them even if you were wearing safety glasses, as you should be—and behold one of four situations:

1. The tip of the tool exploded into at least five pieces of shrapnel, one of which got stuck in the fastener and prevents the insertion of any other tool. You now need to get the drill and your left-handed drill bits. Good luck.
2. The fastener stripped. Start making a budget, because your only solution involves throwing money at this problem.
3. You missed the end of the impact screwdriver and hammered your wrist. Hopefully there are no young ones around; if there are, they just learned a few new words.
4. The tool did its job, and the fastener is now loose. Grab a beverage.

Only 25 percent of these outcomes are positive. I don’t like those odds, and you probably don’t, either.

I’m here to tell you how to tips the odds in your favor. You’ll always be gambling, but with some thought and preparation you will advance from a schmuck staring into the three eyes of the one-armed bandit to a card shark counting cards at the blackjack table and walking out head held high.

Get serious

To start your path to success, skip the BS. The worst thing you can do with an impact screwdriver is to graduate from a partially stripped fastener to a fully stripped fastener. If that Phillips-head screw on your brake rotors looks like it’s going to be a pain to remove, go straight for the big guns and bring out the impact. Trying a second (or third) time with hand tools will only cause damage and make your life harder, so tackle the problem with the best fastener-to-tool engagement possible.

Invest in good bits

A cheapish impact screwdriver will work fine, but the bits that are included in that blow-molded case are not your friend. Spend a few dollars and grab some name-brand 5/16-inch bits and keep them in good shape. Only use them when you need to, and retire them when they become rounded or otherwise start to lose their sharp edges. Use the proper size for your fastener, too. You are asking for trouble trying to extract a #3 Phillips with a #2 Phillips bit.

Prep the fastener

The engagement between the tool and part is a key factor in your success, so improve your chances by setting your bit before impacting it. Clean out the fastener with a pick or other pointy object to ensure no debris prevents full engagement. Then, tap the bit into the fastener with small- to medium-sized hammer to get it fully seated. This light impact may also provide a bit of vibration that could start to break loose any junk on the threads.

Now, swing it

Line up the impact screwdriver and hit it like you mean it—the first time. The shock-and-awe approach often works best for me. There’s no need for warning taps if the bit is set. Preload that barrel and get a good swing of that heavy ball-peen hammer or small sledge. It won’t work every time, but that is the definition of gambling. You decide if the risk is worth the possible reward. Hopefully you can stack the deck in your favor.

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Air-tools are a god-send for mechanics, offering an endless supply of force in the form of compressed air that allows for these high-powered tools to operate all day without needing to charge up (unless, that is, your air compressor asthmatically can’t keep up with them), and a variety of tools operate off the same universal air fitting — which we’ll exploit for today’s Wrenchin’ Wednesday.

As I’m laying out my shop, I’m building ways to place tools where I’ll need them most, and things like the impact gun and air chuck see regular duty. It also keeps more specialized things, like the air hammer, in an easy-to-remember home instead of being buried at the bottom of a toolbox.

First, the tools were mocked up on the bench to figure out the spacing, and about 3.5 inches worked out. From there, the fitting was measured for its small- and large-diameters of the locking ring, so that the hanger’s slots could be sized. The narrow portion will slot into the bottom of our hanger, which will be made of square tubing, and set the maximum width of that slot. The flared locking ring will need to clear the front of the hanger in our tubing, so it too is measured.

Next, the end of the slot is marked out in the center of our box tubing and then drilled to the narrow diameter of the air fitting. This hole will serve as our guide for the width of the slot while also providing a nice, rounded edge to it. A small tip for using stepped drill bits: use a paint pen to mark the step where you need to stop drilling as an easy reminder — it’s not hard to accidentally lose count of the steps as the drill cuts, leading to over-drilled holes.

On the corner of the square tubing, a hole is drilled a bit larger than the diameter of the lock ring of the fitting. It will be the entrance for the air fitting when hung.

Next, the tubing is notched to the width of the narrow holes. Work slowly here so that the slots don’t become over-sized, which would result in dropping the air-tool.

With the slots cleaned up and radiused for the forward entrance holes, the job is essentially done. With square tubing, this could be drilled front-to-back to hang it off a wall, or top-to-bottom as I’ve done here to hang it below a shelf. This may not be the final resting place for these air tools, so for now it’s just clamped. It can be worth it to temporarily affix organizational aids and feel out how they fall into your general workflow, as you may find that your original placement ends up inconvenient in some way once in action.

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It doesn’t matter if your tools fell off the Snap-On truck or were purchased with a Harbor Freight coupon: They all eventually succumb to the forces of evil and torque. Over time,  your tool box, and hopefully not the trash can, will fill with detritus: loose ratchets that slip every time, extensions that twisted into two, and a slew of other broken bits—all of which can be utilized for other purposes. Let me offer an example.

My latest tool improvisation occurred over the weekend while I was wrapping up a mild suspension rebuild on my ’96 Chevrolet Suburban K2500, which has its adjustment slots for the upper control arm locked from the factory with these knock-out tabs. Sometimes they ping off the fender well after a few taps, but in my case, they were not leaving the control arm mounts without a fight. I needed a larger punch than the tools I had on hand, most of which were suited only for knocking out skinny roll pins and the like.

Down at the bottom of the tool box I found some twisted extensions, perfect candidates to become punches themselves. Their forged steel holds up well to hammer hits so, with a grinder, I shaped the tip of these DIY punches and tailored them to my particular project.

Here’s another example: Everyone has one or two leftover ratchets that have stripped their gear teeth and no longer work. The core of the mechanism, which holds the socket drive, can still live on as a socket tool; the extra grip of the knurling can help spin bolts into place in tight spots.

Instead of tossing everything, keep a special drawer for bent and broken tools. There will come a day when a project’s needs exceed the capabilities of your tool box, and a little creativity will go a long way.

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Tools exist to make our life easier, and there are many objects that most folks don’t consider proper tools that are incredibly handy. I recently pulled an old hotel key out of my toolbox while working on a project with a friend, who gave me a real “what’s that for?” look. Well, it was exactly the right tool for the job at hand.

Whether you’re stranded on the side of the road or wrenching in the comfort of your garage, using the wrong thing to do the right job is not as bad as it sounds. You should never compromise safety under the excuse of ingenuity—there’s no shortcut to a proper jack stand. However, in the right circumstances, a spontaneously repurposed “tool” can be the best way to get the job done. Here are six unlikely toolbox heroes that you might already own.

The broken screwdriver

We have all done it, though few admit to it. We’ve used a flathead screwdriver as a pry bar.

Here’s the thing: While the trick sometimes works, most of the time it simply leaves you with a broken screwdriver or mangled part. The broken tool isn’t too much of a pain, since most brands have warranties that cover even operator stupidity. Don’t return that screwdriver though. Instead, chuck it in a different drawer.

The concept here is simple. Even if you have a set of pry bars, they are likely too big for some situations and, at some point in the future, you will grab your new flathead screwdriver and break it again. The vicious cycle will repeat itself. Instead, take your broken screwdriver and make it the de facto small pry bar. This will help you keep your screwdrivers nice—which means less stripped fasteners—and gives you a compact pry bar you can modify to the task at hand. A little filing can change the broken screw driver’s profile based on your project’s needs, and if it breaks, who cares?

The old hotel key

I have had my fair share of nights on the road for work, and one of the perks is taking the hotel keys home with me. They’re terrible keepsakes, but wonderful scrapers. These little plastic rectangles are also ideal as soft jaws—use them to clamp something in a vice without marring it—or as a protective shield when you need to hammer an object without leaving marks. They’re safe to scrape just about any gasket surface, too. If you are really creative, you can use a bit of sandpaper to produce a finer edge and remove junk even more quickly.

A serrated bread knife

If you do even basic upholstery work, you will likely find yourself cutting some foam. The only way to get decent edges is to cut without compressing the foam while slicing. Electric carving knives rule in this regard, but a standard bread knife works great too, and you don’t need to plug it into the wall. I always prefer fewer cords in my garage or workspace, even if the decision means a bit more elbow grease. I found this particular knife new in-package at a secondhand store for $1.

Suede shoe brush

We all know you keep your old toothbrush in the toolbox for cleaning purposes, but sometimes you need something just a bit bigger. That is where a suede brush comes in handy. Typically these are comprised of relatively soft nylon bristles, making them a real help for cleaning the nooks and crannies of automotive interiors, like the creases of seats. They are also good for scrubbing engine parts in a homemade parts cleaner made from a …

Stainless chafing dish

Some parts need to soak in cleaner to get truly clean. Other components need to be disassembled in a contained environment for fear of creating a miniature superfund site under your garage floor. A stainless chafing dish like the ones used by catering companies are perfect for these tasks. Pour in some solvent you have a tabletop parts washer. You can make a lid or drain it after each use. I use a few of these dishes to store parts of motorcycle engines so they marinate in their own leaking fluids instead of leaving puddles around my garage floor. Sometimes you get lucky and find these for sale at going-out-of-business auctions … or you can make your lame college roommate’s wedding worthwhile by snagging one on your way out the door. (Just kidding. Don’t do that.)

“Flavor injector” syringe

A few DIY projects feel more like surgery than wrenching, and being able to accurately place small amounts of liquid is invaluable. I use this syringe for measuring motorcycle fork oil amounts and for reverse-bleeding brakes. Rather than trying to push the air bubbles in a brake line down and out through the caliper or wheel cylinder, I use this syringe to push air-free fluid upwards, thus allowing the air bubbles to follow their natural direction. You can use the syringe to pull fluid from the master cylinder to keep it from overflowing but, just like standard brake bleeding, set the old fluid aside in an appropriate container to be recycled or disposed. Only push fresh fluid into the system, no matter which way you inject it.

Got something odd but incredibly useful in your toolbox? Tell us about it in the Hagerty Community below.

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Air fittings are one of those things that you look at something on the shelf and wonder, “what’s the difference between the $1 and $10 part?” Often times, it’s just sticking to the general spec that you see on the box, like the 1/4-inch inner diameter of an air fitting. Most home air-compressors use 3/8-inch hose with 1/4-inch couplers, which are measured on their inner diameters. The male end of the quick disconnect coupler is what we’ll be working on today, though keep an eye out on how to spot a high-flow female coupler too.

The simple problem with the more commonly available air fittings brands is that they tend to have the smallest inner diameters, with cheaper brands drilling their fittings slightly undersized or even off-center to account for their looser tolerances and quality. In the same way it’s easier to hit a target that’s the size of a barn, under-sizing the hole makes the common air fitting quick and easy to mass produce.

The right move is to buy high-flow fittings from better brands, but if you’re working with what you have, here’s a time-tested porting project that’ll increase the inner diameter by as much as 20%. For me, the shop I rent has its air compressor about 100 feet from the shop space, so doing everything possible to mitigate pressure drop added up quickly for air-hungry tools like the impact gun and zip wheel — but until I re-tool every air drop and hose for larger fittings, porting serves to fill the gap.

Every air fitting will be different, so start by inserting different drill bits until you find one that perfectly fits the inner diameter of the coupler. This will serve as our base drill size.

Work up one drill size at a time, each step is a major change in inner diameter given how small of a space we’re working with. For these two hardware specials, the inner-diameter started at about .185 of an inch and I settled two drill sizes up at approximately .21 of an inch. There is a point at which you can go too far by either decreasing the wall thickness to the point of failure or until the pintle inside the female coupler essentially fall inside the ported hole, blocking it off.

There are a few variations of pintles too, which will play into this. The upper photo shows the cheaper hardware store female coupler, which has a narrower pintle inside. This allowed the pintle to drop into the fitting, plugging it up — backing down one drill size sorted this problem in the short term until a different female coupler was found with a wider, hollow pintle (which was compatible with the over-drilled experimental fitting, too).

Eventually, the shop will be retooled for 1/2-inch air hose and 3/8-inch fittings, which will require a few plumbing changes to step the air drops up to the correct diameter, but the difference in air volume is monumental for only a few minutes of work porting each fitting.

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Measuring tools are the unsung heroes of most toolboxes, despite any jokes you’ve heard about how “real mechanics don’t use those.” Fact is, precision matters when doing things the right way and building something that will last. Whether fabricating from raw materials or making adjustments to an already assembled engine, here are six tools just about every home DIY enthusiast should have in their toolbox drawers.

Tape measure

Obvious? Yes. Useful? Also yes. A tape measure stores up tidy and can give both long and short measurements with reasonable accuracy. It’s not perfect, but for an easy tool to help fabricate something from scratch or align your front axle, a tape measure can’t be beat. It’s a staple of almost every toolbox for a reason.

Digital calipers

The tape measure is operating on the macro scale, but there are times when high-precision measurement on the micro scale is needed. For those situations, digital calipers are the go-to. Buying a set of calipers is a bit like buying a car, with budget-friendly options that might lack a few features priced below high-end, hyper-accurate models with all the bells and whistles. Personally, I feel that a budget set is often plenty for most home users.

Even affordable versions are accurate enough to assess go/no-go situations or when it might make sense to talk to an expert like a machine shop. Such a place will have tools with higher accuracy, if that’s what you need. I keep a cheap set around, and if I am questioning whether it is accurate enough for the job at hand, I typically load up the parts in the truck and head for the machine shop or a friend’s garage who has more accurate tools and greater experience. Eventually I will have the knowledge to justify spending the money on a higher-quality piece of kit, and by then I’ll hopefully have the expertise to handle the tool properly without damaging it. High-quality calipers don’t come cheap, and I’d rather end up damaging a cheap set while learning.

Metal ruler

This is one of my favorite items in my garage lately. A nice metal ruler has a few helpful uses beyond the obvious one. Specifically, a good one will be nice and true along its measuring edge, which allows for speccing if things are flat. A ruler is not a replacement for a machinist parallel, but much like the cheap calipers above, is often good enough to know if you are in the ballpark.

This blue aluminum version is from Park Tool, which mainly focuses its marketing efforts on cyclists. One nice feature it has are the precision-sized holes drilled down the centerline, meant for measuring ball bearings. Given the aluminum construction, I do have to handle it with care, but that goes for any precision tool in your garage.

Torque wrench

Everything we’ve discussed thus far has been meant for measuring distance, but working on cars is not one-dimensional. Assembly manuals call for precision tension on fasteners, and the most common way of doing that on vintage cars is by using a torque wrench. Essentially, this is a tool that measures the amount of twisting force—usually measured in pound-feet or Newton-meters—being placed on a bolt or nut, for example.

If newer vehicles are more your speed, you should look into purchasing a torque wrench that also includes the angle feature, as newer production engines are often now spec’d with fasteners that are torque plus angle, meaning tighten to a set torque measurement and then tighten an additional number of degrees rotation. This is a more accurate measurement of the stretch of a bolt or stud since the thread angle is known, and therefore the exact amount of stretch is calculable down to each degree of rotation past the fastener’s initial tension.

Feeler gauges

This is pretty far down the specialty rabbit hole, but there is no substitute for the proper tool in situations when you need feeler gauges. These are precision-thickness pieces of steel, designed measure the space between two objects, and are most commonly used for setting valve lash and point gap. In fact, a nice set of feeler gauges will have a brass 0.010-inch-thick piece in the feather stack specifically for adjusting certain ignition systems where magnetism can be damaging to the system or otherwise interfere with the measurement.

Multimeter

The final measurement base to cover is on the electrical side of things. Luckily, there is one tool to veritably do-it-all on this front: the multimeter. Check voltage, resistance, and continuity all with one hand-held tool. Much like the vernier calipers above, start with a budget version and upgrade to nicer unit when needed. The “cheap” one can then be downgraded to a road trip tool, and it will likely be something you’d more willingly subject to the knocks of being stored in your trunk.

Happy measuring!

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Unlike today’s machines, cars of the 1950s and ’60s fell prey to frequent breakdowns. When an issue cropped up, however, you had a real chance of fixing the problem on your own, using tools you could carry onboard. Factory toolkits typically covered the basic needs for the average owner, but aftermarket outfits like German toolmaker Hazet marketed super cool kits like this one we found on eBay.

Having assembled a few road-trip toolkits in my time, I can appreciate the novelty of this example. Not only do all the tools fit in a handy metal case, but the case itself tucks into a spare tire mounted in the frunk of a Volkswagen Beetle or Porsche 356. A nice and tidy kit that stores out of the way is my road-trip dream—and the fact that someone else planned out all the tools I’d need is even better.

The Hazet kits came in multiple forms, but the most popular was the standard VW kit (also called the “Tourist”). The first kits went on sale in 1950, and continued to be sold, with slight variations, until 1967. The changes over the years seem to correspond with changes to the Beetle. For example, the original kits included a 36-mm open-end wrench, which gained a 21-mm wrench on the other end in 1956; the addition correlates with the changing size of the Beetle’s generator nut.

Complete, good-condition kits are fairly rare to find today, which explains the $1000 asking price for this particular example. Sure, you could assemble your own version for far less, but it would never be as cool as as a fitted vintage kit. Just for the sake of your sanity, though, I hope you never have to break out a toolkit on the side of the road. Tools are meant to be used, but it’s a less stressful to wrench on a vehicle at home, no matter how cool your toolkit may be.

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In my years of shade tree wrenching I’ve found tricks and tools that are too good not to share with others. Without question, the smartphone-enabled inspection camera ($15 and up) is on the top of that list.

You will spend much more for a standalone endoscope (a.k.a Digital Inspection Camera) but you already have a wonderful screen on your phone: It just needs a camera for those impossible-to-reach places.

I found myself changing a blown exhaust manifold gasket: normally a simple task, but everything’s tougher when the vehicle in question is a 1988 Mercury Cougar XR-7 with aftermarket long tube headers from its Fox-body Mustang cousin. The gasket swap was easy, but the header’s bulk in a cramped location and 200,000 miles of crud accumulation ensured that reinstallation of the oil dipstick tube was not so simple. Mostly because shining a light on the problem was impossible.

That’s where the endoscope, which connects via WiFi and a dedicated app, comes into play. Place the phone in an easily viewable place, activate the ring of LED lights around the camera and look for the problem. Since these cheaper endoscope cables will not necessarily stay where you keep them (cables with muscle memory are likely why the professional tools are so pricey), try to get a second set of hands. If you can’t, be patient while you stage the camera correctly.

With the target in full view on your phone’s screen, the problem solves itself in seconds.

Make sure your endoscope has LEDs with adjustable brightness; otherwise, you might find a reflective surface that washes out the view from your phone.

The sky’s the limit with this in your toolbox: I found dashboard gremlins (so to speak), routed aftermarket stereo cables, plugged leaks in my walls at home, and even found the wrench I dropped after torquing down the last header bolt on the Cougar! (It was wedged between header tubes at the collector, because of course that would happen.)

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The original E-Type toolkit went out of production with the final Series 2 in 1971. Today, Jaguar says these now-rare sets exchange hands for as much as $6500. With that in mind, Jaguar’s new reproduction toolkits that will be sold for just $941 seems like a real bargain.

First off, it’s a fair bet that sooner or later your classic Jaguar will break down on the road. Second, even if it doesn’t, you still need a shiny toolkit to feel complete once your E-Type has been otherwise sorted. Now, thanks to engineering records held at Jaguar Classic in the UK, you can have the right tools, all wrapped in a period-correct leatherette-covered canvas roll.

The E-Type kit includes an adjustable spanner, tire valve key and pressure gauge, pliers, a points and a three-piece screwdriver, a feeler gauge, spanners in sizes ¾ x 7/8 AF, 9/16 x 5/8 AF, ½ x 7/16 AF and 11/32 x 3/8 AF, box spanners in 7/16 x ½, 9/16 x ⅝ and ¾ x ⅞, a spark plug spanner, tommy bars (one short, one long), a valve timing gauge, a grease gun, a handbrake adjusting wrench and the brake bleed tin and tube. Just about everything you may need to fix an E-Type, apart from a pint of Old Speckled Hen.

Jaguar says that if you’re looking for the toolkit on its dedicated Classic Parts website, you should also check out the rest of the company’s 50,000 genuine parts, including the Jaguar Classic Infotainment System that can be integrated into the dash of any vintage Jaguar or Land Rover product.

Jaguar Land Rover certainly takes this historic part of the business seriously. Back in 2014, the company bought a collection of 543 classics from a British dentist, partly to have donor cars for future restorations, but also to be able to check out how those cars were built in period, and scan their parts. Now, Jaguar Classic is the largest such facility in the world, reproducing more and more rare components each year.

It’s a damn fine way to keep the vintage flame alive.

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Fireball Tool was born out of frustration, namely Jason Marburger’s frustration while trying to use a carpenter’s tool to do a metal fabricator’s job. Marburger built a robust square for clamping material during fabrication, and his creation of a better mousetrap led him to instructional welding and fabrication videos that highlight some of his innovative and inspiring builds.

Marburger’s fabrication shop is massive and his machines, as well as his skill in using them, are impressive. We all wish we could have a mill, a lathe, a shaper, and a 3-axis CNC waterjet cutter, but one of his latest videos, while definitely enhanced by his access to such a tool, relies much more on basic fabrication to create a piece of equipment that is used quite often in just about every garage: a bench vise.

Marburger’s design is sturdy, simple, and inexpensive to build. Its size is massive, so even if scaled down a bit to weigh less than its 90-pound total, it could service most garage needs. It uses easy-to-source materials including rectangular tubing, plate steel, nuts, thrust washers, and all-thread. Everything but the swivel mounting plate could be fabricated by just about anyone with a welder, a means to cut metal, and some free time.

We really enjoyed this video, and it might inspire us to try a similar project of our own, because after looking through our local classifieds, the best vise brands are hard to find—and when they are for sale, they aren’t cheap.

Marburger even tested some cheap vises against his own creation and some of the better brands out there.

That video is also worth a watch, although if you’re sentimental about old cast iron, you may have to look away from time to time.

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Taking a vintage car or motorcycle out on a trip is a risk—a calculated risk, but a risk nonetheless. Parts are long past their expected life on so many vintage cars, or even on a fresh restoration, there are typically teething issues and sorting out that occurs within the first few hundred miles. Roadside repair is sometimes necessary, and without tools, you can’t fix anything. We know you can fix things without the exact proper tools, but it sure is easier if you’ve got ‘em. Be prepared for your next roadside adventure by building a custom toolkit for your ride. Here’s how.

Look at the car—Not your tool chest

If you’re hyper-intimate with your car or truck, you might be able to easily pick out the tools you use most when working on your beloved automobile. Even if that is the case, take a step back and look at your car and what you expect is most likely to fail while driving. Now investigate what it would take to repair that imaginary breakdown and lay those tools aside. Focus on likely failures that you are actually comfortable repairing while on the side of the road. If you are packing Vernier calipers, you might be diving too deep for a true roadside repair. Also, use this step to make a list of spare parts you need to feel comfortable for the distance you want to travel.

Pick your tools carefully

One of my favorite items to pack is a screwdriver with replaceable tips. Two reasons for this, I only have to pack one screwdriver but get all the specialty tips I need, and the tip of the screwdriver with no bit in it is a ¼-inch hex. That hex often fits small hose clamps and can save packing a ¼-inch socket. The only problem is a multi-tip screwdriver makes a terrible prybar in a pinch, which is why I also carry a large flat-blade which can act as screwdriver, prybar, and hammer all in one. Remember, this is not perfect repairs, this is get-you-home repairs. Carefully select tools that can have double and triple uses and prevent packing the same thing twice.

Figure out how to pack it

On a recent motorcycle touring trip I packed a tidy toolkit, but space is at an absolute premium when riding vintage motorcycles. This meant I needed to fit everything in the smallest space I could. Fitting sockets inside one another is just the start, but a good start. I took the time to stitch up a custom roll-up kit for my tire levers, but frankly, that is overkill in an era where pre-made solutions are a credit card number away. Canvas zipper bags, Tupperware containers, and plastic bags are great options. Use a clean red shop rag to space metal items apart to prevent rattling while driving; you’ll thank yourself for that clean rag when you have to use the tools, too. A set of work gloves, nitrile or heavier, are also nice to stuff between items and will save your hands (actually, your steering wheel) should a greasy job pop up.

Actually carry your new kit 

I personally am really bad at this last part, but I have an excuse. I use the tools from my garage to assemble the roadside kit when I need it. The trick here is to have your toolkit ready whenever you want to take your car out on the road. If you have to remember to pack it, that is just one more thing to forget. While you could purchase all the tools new from your favorite tool truck, I recommend being thrifty. Go to garage sales, pawnshops, and thrift stores and purchase the tools to complete your traveling tool kit without taking your “nice tools” from your working tool chest. The tools in the travel kit don’t have to be top quality, but make sure that they do their job before you pack it away under a back seat or side cover. Purchase six-point sockets if you can to prevent rounding hardware on the roadside, and include a nice stout ⅜-inch drive extension—it makes a great drift punch in a pinch.

I hope you never need this assemblage of tools, but you will thank yourself for having them if you do. What other tips do you have for assembling your travel toolkit? Leave them in the comments below.

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Whether you call it a junkyard, wrecking yard, or salvage yard, your local purveyor of you-pull-it used parts can be a great resource for much-needed bits to keep your car on the road. I’ve scored parts for my daily driver at a fraction of the dealer cost and picked parts from later-model cars that have improved my classic. A trip to the yard can often be rewarding, but without the right tools it can be a knuckle-busting experience that leaves you more frustrated than victorious.

Some veteran yard dogs go light, carrying only the tools they know they’ll need for a particular job. They are disciplined and wise. I am neither. I don’t want to go back to my truck if I see a part I want and don’t have the right tool. It would mean a long walk and I’d have to stand in line to get back in the yard. Instead I use a five-gallon bucket with a bucket organizer to hold all my tools and tote it with a hand truck. Like a boss.

Once fasteners come out of the donor car, they go in the bucket. Once the part is out, it either goes in the bottom of the bucket or on the bottom of the dolly, with the bucket on top. Tools are heavy, cast iron parts are often heavier, so I’m thankful for the dolly when making my way back to the parking lot. I can even a haul a 25-pound load of tools around without much effort.

I’m far from an expert junkyard crawler, but here’s what’s in my ready-to-scrounge tool kit. Over the years it’s served me just fine.

Sockets, ratchets, and wrenches (oh my!)

A basic SAE and metric socket set is a must-have, plus wrenches to hold the bolt on the other side or for spots where your sockets aren’t deep enough. Even if you think you know the proper sizes for your application, perhaps a newer or older version uses a different size fastener. I’ve got mostly ¼, ⅜, and ½-inch-drive sockets that cover the gamut from tiny interior and electronic studs all the way to beefy suspension components.

Extensions

You may know all the tools you need to pull the part on your vehicle, but in a junkyard the same part may be found on a completely different vehicle. Having some flexibility (u-joints help) in accessing difficult fasteners can mean the difference between leaving with your parts and going home empty handed.

Breaker bar

Torque is your friend.

Hammer and pry bar

So is brute force. Tech tip: any wrench is an impact wrench if you hit it with a hammer. [Editor’s Note: While sometimes effective, this is not always the safest approach. Use at your own risk.]

Electric impact gun

Sometimes there’s no easy way to get a long breaker bar into a tight spot to exert some torque on a fastener, that’s when an electric impact shines.

Penetrating fluid

Typically, penetrating fluid takes a while to do its job, it’s still worth a shot to help unstick frozen bolts.

Screw/Nutdrivers

Knowing your target can help narrow how much you carry in. Going for ’80s or ’90s GM parts? Might want to bring a few Torx drivers. An assortment of bits and a ratcheting driver can help you have the tool you need without a lot of bulk.

Locking Pliers

True, they are not gentle on bolt heads, but if a fastener is already rounded off they can be a godsend. You can worry about a new fastener later.

Needle-Nose Pliers

Perfect for pulling cotter pins, and delicate work where your larger pliers would mangle things.

Adjustable Pliers

For mangling things. Spring tension hose clamps are no match for these babies.

Diagonal Cutter & Hacksaw

It’s often easier to just cut fuel lines or wires and deal with the fittings later, so cutting tools can save a lot of time. If you really need to cut something substantial, a cordless reciprocating saw is the way to go, although I’ve never needed one. Yet.

Gloves

Some wrecking yards have hand wash stations near the exit. Others don’t, so either way it’s better to avoid grime in the first place. Gloves also handle abrasion better than your skin. A few pairs of nitrile gloves and a set of reusable mechanics gloves should always be at the ready.

Bottle of water/hand cleaner

It can be brutal to try to wrench outside in the summer heat, so having some drinking water handy is a life saver. Whatever you don’t drink can be used to clean up, too. With the help of some liquid hand cleaner you can avoid tracking gunk into your ride.

A small tarp

Sometimes you’ve got to crawl on your back under a car, and sometimes it’s a bit muddy. Floor mats or carpet from a nearby vehicle might be available for the task, but a tarp is cheap, compact, and if it’s always in your tool bucket it’s one less thing to scrounge for. A certain discount tool store often has coupons for a free small tarp in their flyers.

Safety glasses

Especially when climbing under vehicles where grit can fall in your face.

Penlight

A small, LED light can help you find the locations of fasteners in awkward places. Headlamps work too, but sometimes it’s tough to crane your neck at odd angles.

Specialty tools

With all of those general-purpose tools in the kit there are a few things I leave out unless I truly know I’ll need them, like a flywheel puller or ball joint puller. For knowing when to pack those, I rely on. . .

Research

When planning on pulling parts from a car or truck, particularly one you’ve never worked on before, check for videos on repairing or removing that part. You might find you need a tool you don’t have or a technique that can save time and headache. Auto parts suppliers are also handy in finding which vehicles also use the whatzit you happen to be after.

Anything you swear by that I left off my list? Feel free to let me know in the Hagerty Forums. I welcome all of your junkyard wisdom.  

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The old saying about buying tools is “buy right or buy twice”. But does it hold up in modern times? Real Tool Reviews put that saying to the test with a video comparing the renowned Snap-On brand with a recently released ICON tool line from Harbor Freight, which is best known for budget-friendly tools, rather than high quality.

The video is pits the two manufacturers of torque wrenches against one another, measuring for performance in accuracy and consistency. Comparing the two side by side does not immediately give away the $300 price differential, but the ICON-branded tool does measure almost a half-inch shorter in overall length. Most would not view this as significant, not would they pay much attention to the difference between engraved and laser-etched markings for the adjustment settings.

What is of concern is how these two perform at their designed task. To test them, Real Tool Reviews uses a fixture with a half-inch-drive connection connected to a calibrated meter with a digital readout. Each wrench is tested across its entire usable range in 50 foot-pound increments. The results show the more affordable ICON wrench was more accurate across the range for 50-250 foot-pounds of torque.

That could be luck though, right? Surely the more expensive tool will be able to repeat a specific torque specification more consistently. Testing showed the opposite. Both wrenches were within the appropriate margin of error (four percent for clockwise, six percent for counter-clockwise), but the ICON wrench defeated the Snap-On wrench with a narrower spread between the highest and lowest readings.

This is perhaps the most scientific torque wrench test we have seen yet. It also serves as a reminder that torque wrenches are accuracy tools and do need to be calibrated from time to time. (Some sources cite every 12 months, others 5000 use cycles.) If assembling sensitive items like engines, having your wrench calibrated could save you many headaches in the future.

To be fair, this test does not account for the long-term reliability or durability of the tool, which is an area where the Snap-On could potentially have the edge. Have some life experience with budget vs. top-shelf tools? Tell us in the Hagerty Forums below.

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I’m a detailer and a tool nerd. My services can take a 94-point car and make it a 98 for the ogling eyes of judges and spectators. But I don’t simply detail clients’ cars. I provide mild restorations, so I need a variety of specialized tools. Sometimes the best ones come from outside the detailing industry. I scour the aisles of hobby stores, shop online, and borrow tools from my model-building workbench. Whatever it takes. I can perform my light restorations anywhere: museums, garages, hotel parking lots, concours greens. Day or night. In any given week, I might be working on three cars in three different states, so I need an easy and safe way to transport my tools. I’ve spent years developing my portable workstation, which consists of seven Tanos boxes lined with Kaizen foam. When I arrive at a job site, I stack my layers on top of one another and roll the tower around on a cart that doubles as a vacuum.

[This article originally ran in Hagerty magazine, the exclusive publication of the Hagerty Drivers Club. For the full, in-the-flesh experience of our world-class magazine—as well other great benefits like roadside assistance and automotive discounts—join HDC today.]

STICK TO IT

This layer contains a pullout drawer with pliers, scissors, J-B Weld, glues, bamboo sticks, bits, wedges, microbrushes, cotton swabs, and sanding pads. The bamboo sticks are my trademark. Plucked from the grocery store, these shrimp skewers clean around badges and remove old wax better than anything else available. My other sticks and wedges work well, wrapped in cloth, to clean between wheel spokes. The top part of this layer contains goops and creams. Different paints and finishes require different sprays, waxes, and creams, but I bring Griot’s Best of Show Paste Wax and BOSS Correcting and Perfecting Cream to most jobs.

ALL THE SMALL THINGS

I carry manufacturer-specific hardware and decals. I have inventory for makes such as Porsche, BMW, and Ferrari. I usually visit the client and the cars before detailing, assess what is necessary, and pack the appropriate bins. Installing the proper metric interior screw or applying the correct reproduction decal could be the slight advantage needed to win best in show.

RUBBER AND METAL PREP

Griot’s Rubber Prep, Black Satin Tire Coating, and Black Shine Trim Restorer bring the life back to any rubber, from moldings to tires. Nuvite II, originally used to polish WWII bombers, works wonders on aluminum. And Renaissance wax, manufactured for preserving fine art and furniture, polishes and protects bare metal. Whether I’m at my workbench assembling models or at Pebble Beach detailing a collection, Tamiya Lacquer Thinner is by my side. It’s a last line of defense for removing stubborn gunk like old glue and paint overspray and is good for a final wipe on whitewalls. Another one of my secret sauces is Pro Honda Spray Cleaner & Polish. For five bucks a can, this motorcycle polish is perfect for a car’s rocker panels and chrome, and it leaves behind a coat of protective wax.

DAY OR NIGHT

I always pack my Snap-on cordless rechargeable LED floodlights and two rechargeable LED work lights. My total kit weighs 75 to 85 pounds and, with all the contents, costs about $4500. There are more than 20 chemicals, 30 towels, 13 electric tools, 8 foam pads, 20 brushes, 50 pieces of hardware, and 5 touch-up paints. But there’s only one goal: Detail your collection.

The post With this customized tool kit, Tim McNair perfects the world’s most exclusive concours cars appeared first on Hagerty Media.

A MIG welder is a very versatile tool for the car lover. They can be used to replace rusty sheet metal, fabricate brackets, remove stuck fasteners, and the more powerful versions can even tackle frame repair. When first starting MIG welding there are absolute necessities and there are tools that make the job much more comfortable and speed up things up. Here are our favorite must-have tools and accessories that we can’t live without:

1. An auto-darkening welding helmet saves time and helps start the weld on target without any guessing. It’s an absolute must-have and they’re quite affordable.
2. Gloves. Welding involves intense heat. It’s melting steel after all. TIG gloves are thinner and allow for more dexterity, but offer less insulation. MIG gloves are thicker and make it difficult if not impossible to pick up small or thin objects, but allow for a second hand to offer precise positioning and stability of the MIG torch even when it’s right up next to a fresh weld.
3. Proper clothing. Whether it’s made of leather or a non-synthetic flame-resistant material, a jacket will keep your arms and upper body safe from burns, and a hat or other head covering will stop an errant spark from landing on your scalp or neck. A bandana or backwards cotton baseball cap is all it takes.
4. Fire extinguisher. Make sure a recently inspected fire extinguisher is in reach and that it is approved for the types of fires that may occur. An A-B-C-rated extinguisher should cover any that may arise when MIG-welding steel.   
5. Hearing and face protection. Safety glasses, a face shield, and ear muffs/plugs are necessities. The welding process is only about as loud as frying breakfast, but the cutting and grinding used to prepare materials is intense. A set of ear plugs or muffs will preserve your hearing, while safety glasses and a face shield protect from flying debris when grinding, especially if a grinding disc brakes.



6. Angle Grinders. These have many uses, and it’s helpful to have at least two—one with a cutting wheel that has a thin kerf, and one with a grinding or sanding disc to remove scale, prep surfaces, chamfer corners, and smooth welds. Having two will save time spent looking for the spanner and changing discs for every other task. Extra tip to reduce noise: sanding discs wear faster but are much quieter than grinding discs and don’t annoy the neighbors as much.
7. Chop saw. All of those angles and tubes aren’t going to cut themselves. An abrasive chop saw is affordable, and with some patient clamping can get repeatable 45-degree miters.
8. Squares. Carpenter squares are great for checking joints and miters and marking pieces to be cut, while beefier fabrication versions allow clamping directly to the work to maintain square joints while welding.
9. Level. Along with a square, a level helps keep projects true.
10. Tape measure. Accuracy counts, and the squarest of corners won’t line up if the pieces aren’t cut correctly. Retractable versions are great for long pieces, while flat steel rulers can help for smaller, more intricate parts.
11. Soapstone. Cheap and easy to use, soapstone makes marks on steel that are easy to see even when the metal gets hot.  



12. Pliers. While there are specialty MIG welding pliers, we’ve found that a set of needle-nose or diagonal cutters will work just fine. You’ll frequently use them for snipping off the wire and clearing it when it gets stuck to the contact tip. Extra tip: grind the diagonal cutters a bit on the bottom until the cutting edge is flush. It will help get the wire unstuck when it melts back almost all the way to the contact.
13. Clamps. Everybody needs clamps, lots of them. C-clamps, Vise-Grips, pipe clamps—you may have enough for the job, but you can never have too many.
14. Magnets. Not as secure as clamps, although very helpful nonetheless, the standard arrow-shaped magnets are good for 45-, 90-, and 135-degree angles. They’re also available in adjustable versions that pivot to hold at any angle.
15. Nozzle dip. Weld more and curse less with frequent application of nozzle dip to keep spatter from sticking to the torch tip. Any slag buildup can prevent shielding gas from flowing and wire unspooling. It’s inexpensive and lasts a long time.

Armed with these tools and tips, you’re ready to sit down and throw some sparks. Good luck!

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A factory jack doesn’t make a car easier to work on, and original wrenches aren’t the answer for getting into tight places. That original tire pump doesn’t supply factory air, either. But that’s not the point of assembling and displaying an original tool roll. As Jerry LaBant of Liverpool Motorworks explains, “More and more people want the icing on the cake.” In other words, they want the finishing touch to a complete restoration or well-preserved original, particularly when they plan on showing a car at the highest level. And that’s a factory tool kit.

Whether a kit came with a Model A Ford, Chevrolet, or Austin-Healey, in most instances the wrenches, screwdrivers, and pliers that came with a car were originally inexpensive and meant to help the stranded motorist, not to provide an extensive set of tools. Over the years, though, tools were scattered as original owners kept them or they were used for a variety of purposes. With most British car makers, according to LaBant, the individual tools “varied according to availability, price, and how much credit the company had with a supplier.”  As a result, the tool kits often had a mix of tools from Shelley, King Dick, or TW Superslim. Two “correct” kits could easily have the same basic tools, but from different suppliers.

Much of the time, expensive cars came with more extensive tool kits and, according to automotive historian and restorer Randy Ema, that was certainly true with cars such as Duesenberg, Pierce-Arrow, or Rolls-Royce. Auburns, Ema says, “had a more modest took kit in the passenger-side kick panel.” Conversely, even modestly-priced MGs, Austin-Healeys, and Triumphs came with fairly comprehensive tools that usually included several open-end wrenches and screwdrivers, a feeler gauge for setting points and spark plug gaps, knock-off hammers or lug wrenches, and even a brake bleeding kit. Whether the car was American, British, or European, by the early 1960s, factory tools became far more limited, often including only a jack and lug wrench or knock-off wrench.

In cases where the tools weren’t standard equipment, the kit could usually be supplied for less than $25. Now correct Ford-script factory tools for a Model A may cost as little as $350, while a kit for a Jaguar XK-120 costs approximately $3,500. Need a complete tool roll for an early Ferrari 250GT? Be prepared to spend $25,000–$30,000. It’s safe to say that the more exclusive the car, the more costly the tool kit. In the case of a car that has a fitted tool tray, such as certain early Jaguars and many Rolls-Royce and Bentleys, it can be very apparent when a tool is missing.

Assembling a correct tool kit can be a time-consuming exercise, even for experts like LaBant who have years of experience and specialize in certain marques. He cautions that it can sometimes take years to find all the tools, which explains why costs can be so high. It is also important to find the person or company who specializes in your marque and model to make sure you get exactly what you need.

It can often cost less to build the kit yourself by carefully picking up tools one at a time, but mistakes can be costly if you end up with the wrong model jack or grease gun. When it comes to researching what tools came from the factory, printed or online restoration guides can be invaluable. There are particularly good club-published guides for Model A and T Fords, Austin-Healeys, and Jaguars, as well as for many other marques. Additionally, commercially-published single model books are a terrific source of critical knowledge about tools. One particularly helpful article, “Proper Tools for Model A Judging,” is readily available on the Model A Club’s website, although not every club offers information as conveniently packaged.

While it’s fantastic to have a nicely restored factory tool kit, jack, and pump for display, keep them for display only. Modern tools are far better and easier to keep clean, while a small hydraulic jack is much safer should you have to change a tire while you’re on the road. It’s better to just look at the lovingly restored tools and enjoy them as you would a special hood mascot or a piece of art. Think of them as the icing on the cake.

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Vintage cars are not like daily drivers, and there’s no sense in pretending that they are. Something always needs to be fixed or, at a bare minimum, tightened. Regardless of whether or not I think one of my cars is well-sorted, I wouldn’t drive it to buy a quart of milk on a Sunday morning without bringing tools along.

But which tools? Now, there’s the rub. The quart of milk notwithstanding, it really does depend on how far you’re driving.

If you know your vintage car well, you’re probably intimately familiar with which fasteners are ubiquitously employed throughout the car. I’m mainly a vintage BMW guy, and you can practically disassemble a 1970s BMW using 8-, 10-, 13-, 17-, and 19-mm wrenches (plus 11- and 14-mm, if you need to replace a brake line). It’s no accident that the tool kits for my 3.0CSi and Bavaria came with those wrenches, along with an interchangeable slotted/Phillips screwdriver, pliers, Allen keys, feeler gauges, spark plugs, plug wrench, and spare bulbs and fuses. Quite a credible tool kit, actually. Almost enough for me to feel secure during a milk run.

On the other hand, it’s lacking a socket set and electrical tools. And while those Allen keys look great in their form-fitted tray, you’d never be able to use them to loosen the 45-year-old bolts holding on the half-axles without stripping the holes.

I used to prepare for a road trip by packing a good-sized lidless plastic bin with whatever assortment of tools I thought I needed for that particular drive in that particular car, and put the bin in the trunk. Over time, however, I found this to be an unworkable solution, as more and more of my garage tools ended up in the bin, which ended up in the trunk of some car, which sometimes ended up in some storage space, meaning those tools were no longer in the garage where I needed them.

About a year ago, I bought a medium-sized plastic toolbox and filled it with a few redundant tools, the intent being to create a “go-to” toolbox that can be easily thrown into the trunk of whichever vintage car I’m about to drive. Now, there are limits to this. If I’m driving a car to an event a thousand miles away, I’ll always bring a lot more. But many of my needs involve 100-mile trips, as I keep four cars in a storage area 50 miles from my house. The go-to toolbox contains:

• A set of the most commonly-used box-end wrenches. As I said, for a vintage BMW, these are 8-, 10-, 13-, 17-, and 19-mm. I have spare sets of the Heyco wrenches that originally came with the cars, so those are the ones I throw into go-to toolbox. I make sure that I have two of the 10s and two of the 13s, as that’s what’s needed to easily loosen or tighten the distributor and the fan belt adjustment bolt on the alternator. And speaking of the fan belt, I recently drove one of the vintage cars while taking my wife to dinner, and the fan belt began slipping just a few miles after leaving the house. Thanks to the wrenches, I was able to fix it right then and there instead of squealing all the way home and taking a different car.
• Ratchets and sockets, both big and small. That is, I bring a 1/8-inch ratchet handle and a set of 1/8-inch metric sockets from 6 to 13 mm, and a 1/2-inch ratchet handle and 1/2-inch sockets from 10 to 22 mm. With these I find that I don’t need the more standard 1/4-inch sockets (although experience has taught me that if I have only the 1/4-inch set, I often want something larger or smaller). A single medium-length extension for each is usually adequate for quick jaunts.
• A slotted screwdriver and Phillips screwdriver.
• Regular pliers and needle-nosed pliers (vise grips are best).
• A battery terminal cleaner. With all the swapping of cars in and out of storage, and swapping batteries in and out of cars, this is a must-have item. Corrosion forms on the inside surfaces of the battery cable connectors, and if it isn’t cleaned off you can tighten down the terminals on the battery posts until the bolts practically strip, and still hear nothing but the dreaded “click” when you turn the key.
• A multimeter. One of those $5.99 specials is more than adequate to check battery voltage and verify that the alternator and regulator are charging the battery.
• An inexpensive electrical kit with a crimping tool and an assortment of butt splices and spade connectors. For real electrical work, I prefer using higher-quality connectors, but this is a great item to have in a travel toolbox.
• A pair of wire cutters, since the wire cutters on crimping tools always stink.
• A pair of 6-foot lengths of 14-gauge wire, each with a battery charger-sized alligator clip on one end that can bite onto the battery terminal, so I can wire things directly to the battery (if needed).
• A 20-foot, 14-gauge lamp cord (two-conductor wire) than can be cut and spliced as needed.
• An inexpensive set of metric nuts and bolts. The number of times I wind up digging for one is surprising, even if it’s only to re-attach the front license plate to a car that’s been sitting in storage and has an expired inspection sticker (in Massachusetts, the front plate needs to be attached for a car to pass inspection).
• A pack of zip ties.

Contents of my throw-it-in-the-trunk tool box

When I swap cars in one of the storage spaces, I bring the tool box, plus either a set of jumper cables or a battery jump pack, and a cigarette-lighter-powered air compressor to inflate tires. It’s proven to be a winning combination.

For longer trips, I want to be prepared for mechanical problems far from home, so the tool volume and weight increases substantially. First, there’s the aluminum floor jack and aluminum jack stands. Even though these days I’m perfectly happy to call Hagerty Plus Roadside Assistance to change a flat on the interstate (I no longer have the stomach to crawl under a car while traffic whizzes by at 75 mph), the idea of traveling 1,000 miles without being able to jack up the car drives me crazy. So they come too.

In my garage, I have the requisite big-ass, multi-level, multi-draw tool chest, but over time I’ve set up three small tool boxes: one with commonly-used wrenches; one with most of the ratchet handles, sockets, Allen key sockets, extensions, and universals; and a third with everything else—all the screwdrivers, pliers, picks, telescoping magnetic pick-ups, circlip pliers, files, flexible nut drivers (that are the bee’s knees to use on hose clamps), and more. I’ve basically given up on configuring a compact minimal set of tools for a big road trip, and instead simply throw these three toolboxes into the trunk.

The three small toolboxes containing most of my tools that I take on longer trips

In addition, there are a few things too big to fit in a tool box, such as the breaker bar, the pipe extension for the breaker bar, the BFS (big freaking screwdriver), and the BFPs (big freaking pliers). Depending on my mood, I may or may not bring a 1/2-inch torque wrench. I always imagine having to change a head gasket on the road—although these days most of the head gaskets I’ve used call for angle-torqueing the head bolts, and while I do have the angle-torque jig, bringing it on a road trip strikes me as crossing some invisible line of sanity and rationality.

Of course, for a long trip, I’ll also take a timing light, dwell tach, fuel pressure gauge, and an old Heathkit portable exhaust gas analyzer. They have all been used on the road.

Even with all those tools, it is axiomatic that anything you don’t take, you’ll need, and anything you take, you won’t. Case in point: when I took a 1,000-mile trip to rescue Louie, the decade-dead 1972 BMW 2002tii that I bought in Louisville, I brought a roll of copper-nickel brake-line tubing and a flaring tool, and did not need to use it. Conversely, I did not bring a hacksaw or Dremel tool, and wished to high heaven that I had.

So there you go. Run out and buy some milk on Sunday morning. Bring two 13-mm wrenches for the fan belt and you’ll probably be fine. Unless the milk is two states over. Then I’d pack the brake flaring tool.

The post For road trips long or short, don’t leave home without these essential tools appeared first on Hagerty Media.

The storm has been and gone, but that doesn’t mean it’s all over. After the drywall in the house has been torn out and the furnace, hot water heater, fuse panel and washer and dryer have been replaced, it’s time to focus on the tools, hardware and spare parts that got wet.

If you’re like many people, your tools were probably stored in the garage along with a lot of your spares. Anything on a low shelf was particularly vulnerable. If it was cardboard or paper, sadly, it’s history. In the case of metal parts, oxidation or rust has probably already started.

Tools

Considering how expensive good tools are, it’s important to try to save them as soon as possible. One drawer at a time, pull them out, and wash them in a weak solution of warm water and car wash soap or another mild detergent, with a tablespoon of baking soda tossed in to help neutralize the salt. The next step is to rinse them carefully in clean water and then dry them thoroughly. Finally, spray them with a light coating of a spray lubricate such as WD40 and then wipe them again and set them aside.

Work methodically, drawer by drawer, paying special attention to hinged tools such as pliers and vice grips. Make sure you’re generous with the lubricating spray. Don’t forget the little things like Allen Wrenches, punches, drill bits and files. If any wooden-handled tools don’t appear to have a polyurethane finish, a light coating of lemon oil or mineral oil will keep the wood from drying out.

With everything out of the tool box, pull out the drawers, wash them each and rinse them. Wipe them down with more of the WD40 and be sure to oil all rollers or hinges. Before the drawers go back in, it’s time to clean the entire box, rinse it and give it that light coating of WD40 before wiping it again and putting everything back together.

We all focus on the tools in our big red or gray boxes, but there are other tools that probably fared even worse. Your floor and bottle jacks, jack stands and ramps were probably sitting on the floor and were underwater for some time. It’s essential to take the stands apart and to wash them carefully before rinsing them and coating them with wax. Hopefully the valves on the jacks were fully closed. If they weren’t you’ll have to drain the hydraulic fluid and replace it with fresh and hope for the best. The bodies and all other parts of the jacks should be washed with a mild soap or detergent, rinsed by hand and then dried and waxed. Be sure to lubricate the wheels and any moving or sliding parts while raising and lowering the jack. Cleaning and protecting the stands is a simple task and will, hopefully, prevent rust.

Machine Tools and Power Tools

Any tools with electric motors, from a simple hand drill to a lathe, can be severely damaged from exposure to either fresh or salt water. Oxidation of connections and wires can begin immediately. In most cases, don’t even try to use the tool without giving it some serious attention first. Machinist Mike Gehron says that machine tools can be saved, but that the motors will need to be properly rebuilt by a specialist, which you can find be searching the Internet for “machine tool repair” or “electric motor repair.” It’s also important to make sure that the casing for the motor and all other parts is cleaned and lubricated.

Unfortunately, moderately priced power tools, like drills, bench grinders and orbital polishers may be cheaper to replace than repair. Check with your local electric motor repair shop or with the manufacturer to explore your options.

Keep in mind that the better the tools, the more they’re worth saving. That cheap Walmart tool kit may not warrant hours of work, but the Craftsman and Snap-On Tools will last for years more if you take proper care of them.

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When I bought my 1987 BMW, I knew replacement parts would not be cheap. Considering the age of the car and its European origin, even the smallest parts can command a hefty price. So when I needed to replace my front trim and other components, I looked not to BMW or a retail parts supplier but to the junkyard – the cheapest way to buy OEM.

The junkyard is a simple concept. Cars that are wrecked or past their useful life are sold for scrap and left to sit on a lot where anyone can pull parts at a greatly reduced price. The savings, however, can be offset by a lack of convenience – which is why it is important to follow these tips to save time and get the parts you want the first time.

• Bring the Right Tools: Junkyards will not supply small tools like wrenches and screw drivers. Make sure you bring the correct-sized wrenches, as no amount of positioning or twisting will make an imperial socket turn a metric head. Some parts might also require specialized tools to remove, so make sure to bring those along as well.
• Call Ahead: Save yourself a wasted trip by confirming that the junkyard has the car and the part you want. Many yards keep an electronic record of what has been bought from what car. While some parts may not be listed in the yard’s computer, a quick phone call could let you know if someone else already pulled the part you need.
• Bring a Shop Manual: While small trim pieces and some parts are intuitive to remove, it is a good idea to have the book along as insurance against damaging the part you are trying to reach. A shop manual will also list what tools are required, so you can plan your trip accordingly. 
• Haggle: At most junkyards, the price is negotiable. Save a few bucks by talking down the part you just pulled. Be prepared to point out damage or wear and tear to justify a lower price.

Junkyard “parts safaris” are a great way to keep your classic on the road and still have some money left over for gas. Happy pulling!

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Hagerty’s experts weigh in with their picks for the top five tools that should be in every garage.

Hagerty Fleet Specialist Randy Clouse lists the following:

1. Side cutters: The first tool on my list would have to be a pair of side cutters. They are invaluable for removing cotter pins while working on front ends, and they also come in really handy for a small hammer.
2. Pry bar: A large pry bar has to be up there, too. This is used for safely prying and lifting things.
3. Vise grips: A pair of vise grips – a very simple tool that comes in handy for grabbing or holding onto something – can really save the day.
4. Four-way wrench: A four-way wrench is also very handy when removing tires. You can just grab it and start removing lug nuts from the wheels.
5. Acetylene torch: The acetylene torch can be your best friend for when it comes to cutting off rusty bolts or freeing frozen or rusted parts.

Hagerty PR Manager Jonathan Klinger, who’s using a Model A as a daily driver for his 365 Days of A project, knows a little something about working on cars. He chose the following five items because, quite simply, he says he can take on almost any project with them.

1. Air compressor
2. Jack 
3. Mechanic’s tool set: A basic set of wrenches, sockets, screwdrivers, etc.
4. Shop light
5. Refrigerator

Youth Advocacy Coordinator Tabetha Salsbury’s selections put a bit more of a premium on organization and cleanliness than our other “Car Guys’”:

1. Lift
2. Parts washer: In my opinion, 90 percent of quality work comes from good prep, and dirty parts equal bad paint jobs, messes, etc.
3. Refrigerator: A Car Guy spends a lot of time in a garage. When buddies stop by, sometimes you just want to take a break and kick back with a cold beer.
4. Air compressor: Try to find one that’s quiet!
5. Wall-mounted shop vac: Be sure to get one that’s detachable; it’s so handy to be able to vacuum out rust, dirt, rodent mess in engine bays, etc., from cars when they come in to the shop. After all, an organized shop means more and better production.

Vice President of Media Properties Rob Sass echoes a couple of Clouse, Klinger and Salsbury’s picks, but adds a few of his own:

1. Set of Torx bits: Because Torx bolts always show up in the worst possible places when you don’t have a set of Torx bits on hand. 
2. Air compressor: They make a lot of noise, they take up a lot of room and, let’s face it, it’s just cool to have a set of air tools.
3. Set of vise grips: They’re good for pinching the hell out of your finger.
4. Magnetic screwdrivers: Anyone who has ever dropped a screw down a door panel knows why these are necessary. Frankly, I don’t know why all screwdrivers aren’t magnetic.
5. One really good, bright shop light: To shed light on those crucial repairs you overlooked before you had your really good, bright shop light.

Do you disagree with our contributors’ picks? Sound off on your top five garage tools in our comments section below.

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Call them flea markets or autojumbles, large old car swap meets like the Charlotte Auto Fair and Hershey are great for finding all kinds of car parts, particularly for American machines. But if you go to many of the biggies looking for MG or Porsche or Alfa Romeo parts you may only find a few vendors catering to your fancy. If you’re looking for a grille for your Triumph, a VW engine or even a correct Jaguar XK-120 tool kit, it’s hard to beat the Carlisle Import & Kit Car Nationals in Carlisle, Pa.

In 2010, Imports at Carlisle celebrated 25 years and there were plenty of people there to join in the celebration. Like so many recurring shows and flea markets, seeing old friends is an important part of its appeal. Scores of vendors sell everything from books on imported cars to used and new parts, as well as T-shirts, jewelry and tools. Sections of the vast Carlisle Fairgrounds are also devoted to car displays and are divided by country.

People come from all over the country and beyond to look for that elusive part or to display a two-stroke Auto Union or Citroën Méhari. But for the kit car world, the third weekend in May is a truly big deal.

According to writer and kit car authority Harold Pace, Imports at Carlisle “is the premier show for the kit car industry. It’s where all the manufacturers come to introduce their new models. There’s also a huge club turn-out for kit car owners.” Pace logged “45 Porsche replicas, countless Cobras, and 20 classic and original dune buggies,” which were attracted thanks to a special appearance by Bruce Meyers of Meyers Manx fame.

For more information about the event or other shows promoted by Carlisle Productions, go to www.carlisleproductions.com. 

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What’s in Your Emergency Kit?

As you can imagine, Hagerty employs a lot of car people. Many have lived their entire adult lives with a compulsion to buy and drive old cars, and they were fortunate to find a workplace where they could be surrounded by like-minded people. Some had already amassed a small collection of classics by the time they were brought on board. With years of experience behind the wheel of collector cars, we’ve each been through our share of breakdowns; some of us have even been through a few tire-kicking, hair-pulling exhibitions.

Hopefully these experiences haven’t been for naught, and we can chalk them up as life lessons. With that in mind, we asked a few of Hagerty’s resident collector-car owners what items they keep in their vehicle to prevent future frustration. Let’s take a look at those responses and see what we can learn about the owners and their cars.

If your standby item isn’t on one of these lists, let us know about it in the comments.

Of course, the surest way to avoid roadside anguish is with a Hagerty Plus Membership.

Linda Austin – Vice President, Auto Insurance Sales and Service
1931 Ford Model A
1953 Chevrolet 3100

• Cell phone (to contact someone that knows what they are doing)
• Fire extinguisher
• Tools
• Water/coolant mix
• Oil
• A rag & hand cleaner
   

Jonathan Klinger – PR Coordinator
1919 Ford Model T Pick-up
1964 Buick Electra 225

• A spare coil
• Fan belt
• 3/4″ wrench (to adjust the transmission bands)
• Adjustable wrench
• Flathead screw driver
• Pliers

Note: Mr. Klinger readily admitted that this is his “dream emergency kit” as he currently doesn’t carry one.

Cory Wade – Private Client Services Account Executive
1984 Porsche 944
1969 Volkswagen Transporter Westfalia

• Tire Pressure Gauge
• Flashlight
• Matches
• Candle
• Tow strap
• Screwdriver
• Hammer
   

Davin Reckow – Parts Supply Specialist
1966 Chevrolet Chevelle
1970 Chevrolet Chevelle Station Wagon
1966 Chevrolet Chevelle Convertible

• Zip ties
• Duct tape
• Crescent wrench
• Channel Locks
• Multi bit Screw driver
• Paper Towels
• Jumper cables
• Fuses
• Card board
• Baby Wipes
• Jerk Strap
• Antifreeze
• First aid kit
• Rain Poncho
   

Jonathan Stein – Associate Publisher, Hagerty’s magazine
1959 MGA Twin-Cam Coupe
1962 MGA 1600 Coupe

Always:

• Cell Phone
• Flashlight
• Tire Gauge
• Basic tools
• Battery terminal cleaner
• Battery terminal puller
• Jack
• Hand crank
• Spare Tire
• Fan Belt
• 2 Quarts Oil
• Brake fluid
• Several rags
• Hagerty Plus Card

Touring:

• Fuel pump
• Generator
• Distributor caps and wires
• Points, plugs, condenser
• Gallon of water
• Spare radiator hose
• Spare radiator clamp

Adam Martin – Private Client Services Senior Manager
1968 Chevrolet Camaro Coupe

• Fire extinguisher
• First aid kit
• Small bin of hand tools
• Gloves
• Spare tire
• Jack
• Hagerty Plus Member ID Card 
   

Rob Sass – Senior Manager, Media Services
1967 Jaguar E-Type Coupe
1963 Buick Riviera
1967 Maserati Mistral
1976 Porsche 912E

• Points
• Alternator
• Fuel pump
• Distributor cap
• Fan belt
• Tow rope
• Jumper cables
• Wrenches
• Socket set
• Flat fixer
• Reflector triangle
• Service manual

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Tools, Parts & Products

Screwdriver
hoses
non-hardening gasket sealer
adjustable pliers
clamps
antifreeze
slip-joint pliers
repair manual

An important part of a maintenance check should be inspecting water hoses for signs of deterioration. Overlooking a bad upper or lower radiator hose or heater hose can lead to overheating problems.

The first thing to check for is leaking hoses. If you see antifreeze anywhere, a hose is seeping or leaking and must be replaced immediately. Hoses that prove to be excessively hard, brittle, soft, mushy or swollen must also be changed. Squeeze and bend the hoses to look for cracks in the middle of the hose. Cracks at the ends are usually quite obvious. If in doubt about the condition of any hose, replace it now to avoid any future problems (especially in hot weather).

Obtain the correct hoses for your car at an auto parts store, or check websites of hose manufacturers like Gates or try Rock Auto Parts. It may be cheaper to buy the hose locally to save shipping, but these websites can help determine proper part numbers. Also, it seems like Rock Auto has worked out many cross-applications to determine which current hoses fit specific older cars.

If you need to replace heater hoses, measure both the length and inside diameter of the old hose. Heater hose comes in ½-, 8- or ¾-inch sizes and is usually sold by the foot. On some cars, the inlet hose could be a different size than the outlet hose, so don’t measure only one and assume they’re the same.

You should also plan on replacing old hose clamps, which tend to weaken and corrode with age. If your car is restored and you want an authentic look under the hood, look for hobby suppliers who sell original equipment reproductions. Whatever style of clamp you purchase, stay away from cheap look-a-like clamps, as many don’t work as well as name-brand hoses.

To replace a hose, let the car cool completely so you don’t get scalded by hot antifreeze. Place a drain pan or bucket under the radiator. Then open the petcock or valve near the bottom of the radiator. If you’re going to install new coolant, dispose of the old coolant immediately, as it’s poisonous. Keep pets away from the old coolant; they tend to like its sweet taste.

Remove the hose clamps from your old hose with pliers or a screwdriver, depending on the style of clamp. Then twist and pull the old hose loose. If it won’t come off easily, you may have to split the old hose with a knife or blade cutter. Sometimes a hose will pull off better with pliers than by hand. Then remove the hose and carefully scrape the metal (or plastic) hose fittings clean. Before installing a new hose, apply a small amount of non-hardening gasket sealer to the fitting only. Don’t put sealer inside the hose, as any excess amount could get into and clog the cooling system. The sealer will also help the hose slide onto the fitting.

Slide the new clamps onto your new hose before you slide the hose onto the fittings. Make sure the hose ends slide over the fittings far enough to allow the hose clamps to grab the fitting and make a tight seal. Now move the hose clamps near the ends of the hose and tighten the clamps. Fill the radiator with coolant and start the car to check the cooling system for any leaks. Recheck the coolant level after the engine has achieved its proper operating temperature.

John “Gunner” Gunnell is the automotive books editor at Krause Publications in Iola, Wis., and former editor of Old Cars Weekly and Old Cars Price Guide.

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Regardless of what kind of vehicle you have or what type of work it needs, tools are always essential. Here are seven cool tool tips that will make your life easier without breaking the bank.

Plastic fruit jars like the ones that Dole mandarin oranges and tropical fruit come packaged in make excellent, unbreakable, see-thru storage containers for your nuts, bolts, washers and other small hardware and parts. You can label them with a P-Touch or simply use masking tape and a permanent marker (or you can use the marker directly on the jar, too, if you wish). The best thing is that they won’t shatter and break if they fall off the workbench – and they’re free after you finish the fruit!

If you’ve ever reupholstered the seats in your collector vehicle, then you know what a chore it is to stretch the seat fabric and, while keeping it taut, load a hog ring into your hog ring pliers; at times like those a third hand would certainly come in handy. Well, how about the next best thing? Simply pre-load the hog ring into your pliers and loop a rubber band around the handles to put pressure on it, which keeps the hog ring from falling out. Stretch the fabric, grab the pliers and squeeze the ring on with no fumbling. Simple but very effective – try it!
Ever have to thread a nut onto a bolt or stud and it keeps slipping out of your socket? Use a piece of masking tape to wedge it in the socket – this is especially useful in cramped quarters where you can’t start the nut with your fingers – it works like a charm!

You can prevent the base of your jack stands from digging into the blacktop of your driveway, especially in hot weather, by putting a square piece of ½”-thick plywood between the jack stand and the driveway. It’s a very effective – and reusable – solution that will keep your blacktop from showing the scars of battle.

Need to do some work under your vehicle? Get yourself a sheet of 4’x8’ foil-sided ¾”-thick exterior insulation from the local home improvement center for under $12.00 and slice it into four 2×4’ sections for use as “cheaper creepers” when you need to go under. Light, cheap, comfortable to use and disposable, they’re a step up from lying on a cardboard box while you work on your vehicle’s underside, so what’s not to love?

Have a screwdriver with a broken or worn tip? Don’t be so quick to chuck it out! Regardless of whether it’s a flat-blade or a Philips, you can use a bench grinder to grind the tip off and taper it for use as an awl, a center-punch, a seat bolt-hole locator (particularly handy if you’re replacing the carpeting in your collector car) or as a drift-pin. It’s also a good screw-starter for projects around the house.
You can make a great disposable squeegee for body filler and glazing putty applications from an empty half-gallon or gallon plastic milk or spring water container. Use a marker to outline the shape on the side of the container and cut it out using a pair of scissors. You can get at least 4 squeegees from a carton and the best thing is that they don’t cost a cent! Fiberglass/SMC body fillers and glazing putty won’t stick to this plastic, so you can reuse them again and again. What about the portions of the container that you’re not using? Into the recycle bin as usual, of course!

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There are safety issues associated with any vehicle, but when you’re building one from scratch – especially from a collection of parts from various sources – safety can be a much larger issue. In this chapter, you’ll learn about the safety features every rod should have, items to keep in your car in case of emergency, and things to keep in mind for the future that can become safety issues. Even if you’re hiring a professional for some of the work, there are plenty of things you need to think about as the owner of a street rod.

Every Rod Should Have…

The National Street Rodding Association (NSRA), the oldest nationwide association for street rodders, has developed a vehicle safety inspection for rods. A team of 75 safety inspectors stationed across the country conducts inspections at local rod runs and NSRA-sanctioned events. Rodders don’t have to be member of NSRA; they simply need to ask for a safety inspection. The NSRA Safety Team inspects about 17,000 rods annually using a 23-point inspection process. Rodders who pass the inspection receive a sticker to place in their window that is valid for one year. The idea behind the inspection program is to have another set of eyes give your rod a once-over, identifying any possible dangers before they cause a problem.

While some items on the NSRA’s inspection list are only logical, such as a horn, lights, speedometer and four-wheel brakes, others require a bit more thought. For example, the inspection requires that every rod have power windshield wipers and a lock-out feature in an automatic transmission so the car will start only in Neutral or Park. Safety inspectors crawl under the vehicle checking for the fuel and brake systems for leaks, routing and the components used. Inspectors will make sure your emergency brake works properly and will inspect the chassis fasteners to ensure they have a locking design of some kind.

Inspectors also want to check that no components fall below the “scrub line” of your vehicle. To check this, the NSRA suggests stretching a string from the bottom of each wheel rim to the bottom of the other three tires at the road surface. The string should be taut. No parts of the steering, suspension or chassis should be below the string. The only items allowed below the string are body sheet metal, bumpers, exhaust system, and oil and transmission parts.

The NSRA also recommends four additional items to help ensure the safety of the rod and its occupants: a third brake light, dual master cylinder, seat belts and fire extinguisher. A complete list and a description of each requirement can be found on the NSRA website at www.nsra-usa.com.

Things to Consider

As you build your car, there are certain features that you may want to consider adding to help reduce the chances of an accident and injury to you and your passengers. They include:

• Seat belts: Ideally it’s best to install three-point harnesses, but even lap belts will provide some protection. The key is to make sure that the belts are anchored properly to a surface that will not deform in a collision. If you aren’t sure how to do this, consult a professional.
• Bear-claw door latches: The original style of door latches were not very secure and doors could fly open unexpectedly. Consider swapping out any original latches for newer style bear-claw latches, which will keep the doors from popping open in a collision.
• Double master-cylinder: Also known as a dual master cylinder, this braking component will ensure that, should your brakes develop a problem, you’ll still have at least half the system, the front or the rear, to bring you safely to a stop.
• LED brake lights: While small taillight and turn signals may be attractive on your rod, it’s important that the people behind you be able to see when you are applying your brakes. Consider installing the largest taillights you feel comfortable with or using LEDs instead of bulbs, so your lights are brighter. Better yet, use both.
• Kill switch: A master switch that disconnects the power from the battery is a handy feature for when your car will be parked for extended periods and is useful in some types of emergencies. If you hide it out of sight, it can also prevent the theft of your rod.

To Keep in Your Rod

Like any specialty vehicle, a street rod can break down. Whether you’re a few miles from home or in another part of the country, it’s a good idea to have a small collection of items to help combat any problems that arise. Gather these items, and then add other things that make sense for your rod and driving situation:

• Fire extinguisher: Don’t bury it under other items in your trunk. Instead, store it in a place that’s easy to reach from the driver’s seat.
• Socket wrench: Add the two or three sockets that are most common on your vehicle.
• Other items that can serve a multitude of uses in a pinch include adjustable pliers, wire ties, hose clamps and duct tape.
• Lug wrench, breaker bar, jack and wood support for jack: If you need to change a tire, these items will come in handy. Consider a scissor-style jack if you’re short on space. The lug wrench is also useful in tightening loose lug nuts, which can sometimes work loose on a long trip.
• Fix-A-Flat: A can of spare tire sealer can eliminate the need to change a flat tire in many instances.
• Spare fuses: Gather a small assortment
• Extra lubricants: Oil, transmission fluid and power steering fluid can be stored in a plastic bag to prevent leaks.
• Cell phone with charged battery and power cord or Portable CB radio: If you break down, you’ll be reluctant to leave your rod anywhere and walk to get assistance, plus it may not be safe to get out of the car. If you plan on relying on your cell phone, be sure to add a 12-volt power source somewhere in your rod during the build process.
• NSRA Fellow Pages: All NSRA members receive a printed directory of members who are willing to help out a fellow rodder. Organized by city and state, this guide is a handy resource when you’re far from home and need a place to work on your car, advice about a local repair shop or a reliable mechanic.
• Towel: Helpful for keeping your clothes clean, provides some cushioning if you need to kneel or lay on the ground.
• Gloves: For handling something hot.
• Cleaner: Waterless hand cleaner or pre-moistened wipes so you have clean hands before sliding behind the wheel again.

Watch Out For…

As you put some miles on your rod, things will loosen and wear and problems may begin to develop. As the team of NSRA safety inspectors does their work each year, there are a handful of problems that they notice more frequently. Giving your rod the once-over on a regular basis will help reduce the possibility of these issues affecting your rod. Here are some of the most common issues that safety inspectors notice:

• Check that your emergency brake is holding by setting it and shifting your vehicle into gear. Your rod should not move when it is idling.
• Confirm that your neutral safety switch is operating correctly by attempting to start your rod in gear. If it starts in anything other than park or neutral, the safety switch either hasn’t been installed properly or needs adjustment.
• If you have a Mustang II independent front suspension with rack-and-pinion steering, check the control arm bolts periodically. They can work loose or show signs of wear, causing the rack to shift from side-to-side. Also look for signs of wear on the top hat, which connects to the upper control arms. Some older top hats, which are still available at swap meets, didn’t use heavy enough metal and can wear excessively during driving as a result, possibly resulting in a dangerous situation.
• Wheels that loosen are a fairly common issue and can be the result of several things. First, don’t use spacers or modify the wheel in order to correct a clearance issue. Even with wheels that fit correctly, be sure you know the correct torque readings for the diameter of your studs as well as the proper seat angles on your lug nuts for your wheel style. These numbers are usually provided in the instructions that come with a new set of wheels. If you buy used wheels, contact the manufacturer for the specs. Both should be checked periodically, using a torque wrench to ensure the settings are correct.

While the safety items mentioned here are in no way comprehensive, if you keep these issues in mind when building and driving your car, you’ll at least be on top of the most common problems rodders face.

Next month, we will address “Getting It on the Road,” which will tell you what you need to do at the next stage to get out there and have some fun.

The post How to Make Sure It’s Safe appeared first on Hagerty Media.

Did you get a car-related gift for the holidays? If so, what? This question was answered by “air cleaner” and “a 1950 Mercury”! Only 3 respondents answered that, sadly, they didn’t receive anything for the holidays for their precious metal one.

Many folks got a car as a gift! In addition to the 1950 Merc mentioned above, cars include:

International 1200D Travelall 4×4
1955 Nash Metropolitain
1967 Camaro
FJ Cruiser
1966 Chevelle SS convertible
1985 Chevy EL Camino

Then there were parts , equipment and tools…

Bumpers for 1915 Dodge roadster 
Tools and voltage regulator
Chrome-plated timing cover 
Corvette parking sign plus a polo shirt and hat with Corvette logos!
Steering wheel
Tire Pressure Gage
1972 Chevelle SS 402 Changed to 454 600 HP
Tools
Amber parking lenses for my ‘57 Chevy from my grand kids
A new horn for my ’34! Ah-Uuuu-gah!
Musical horn

And car care…

Car cleaning and polishing products
Detailing supplies
Vehicle cover
Dash cover
Car care kit
Car wash tool
Wax
Bondo
Classic Brass Abarth symbols for my ’75 Fiat Spyder
Mothers polish
huge polishing kit

And then the novelty gifts…

Magellan Roadmate
Gift certificate to Advance Auto Parts
Ferrari briefcase
Car underwear
Model of a ’37 Ford coupe
Corvette Black Book 50, History of Corvettes book and History of Chevrolet book
Nascar game
A tree ornament
Replica diecast ’71 Chevelle
Orange County Choppers wall clock
1969 Camaro T-shirt

And our favorite answer, just because of the sentiment, is:

“My great-grandson (10 years old) is tight with a buck – he’d rather use his Mom’s cash than his own – but with his own money he got me high-end floor mats for my ride, now the car looks perfect. He’s standing tall knowing that he did well with the Roadster and great-grandpa!”

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With a limited budget, the tools in my shop come from auctions, outlet stores, mark-down aisles, swap meets, mail-order houses and eBay. My shop has bargains like a $150 air compressor, $11 work bench, $35 tool chest and $10 engine stand. Except for a few splurges like a Backyard Buddy 4-post hydraulic lift and a better-quality Eastwood engine leveler, most of my equipment could be described as “cheap tools.” That doesn’t mean they’re of inferior quality – it means they just didn’t cost as much as one might expect.

Estate auctions are usually full of household or woodworking tools. Liquidation auctions are different. Maybe an old service station is becoming a filling station only, so an auction is held with high-quality automotive tools selling for 40 cents on the dollar. Sometimes such auctions are advertised in hobby publications, but local ones are best. Travel expenses can kill you. Buy early. Once auctioneers see you have money, they’ll start working hard for high prices.

Outlet stores carry tools of varying quality. A local charity-run store sells screwdrivers that will put up curtain rods, but bend if used on a car repair. They handle brushes, mirrors and magnet tools that work OK, but look elsewhere for hand tools. Warehouse or liquidator stores usually have lots of tools for sale. Some are of very poor quality and some are quite good. One nearby store offered a 30-ton “bottle-jack” press that a professional restorer purchased. For his own peace of mind, the restorer replaced all fasteners with American made hardware. Now he is very happy with his under-$200 heavy-duty press.

You can find markdowns on very good tools at “big box” stores if you shop wisely. They sell 80-90 percent of their inventory at near full price, and then put drastic markdowns on remainders. This starts normally after New Year’s Day and hits bottom in March when you’ll save over 50 percent, particularly on high-ticket items like air compressors. I have seen stores liquidate remaining inventory at one-fifth the original price, then re-stock the same item a week later at “next year’s” price.

Look for close-outs, too. K-Mart recently merged with Sears and wants to sell only Craftsman tools. Other tools are being marked down 25-40 percent. Call 1-800-682-8691 to join the Craftsman Tool Club to enjoy special Club Saver Days sales, a regular newsletter and a free calendar showing members’ garages.

Automotive swap meets are a great place to buy automotive tools. Most used tools purchased at swap meets sell for about one-third (or less) what they cost new. If you shop carefully, you can buy some handy old tools, in great condition, for very affordable prices. You can also buy large items like floor jacks, engine stands and engine dollies in the $10-$25 range. Be careful when buying electric or air tools. You have no way to test them and they may be defective.

When buying new tools at swap meets, remember that there are no returns. If you see a vendor selling new brand-name tools, you’re probably in for a good bargain. On the other hand, foreign-made, no-name tools come with a risk. You can probably get the same tool at a liquidator store with some type of warranty.

 Discount tool suppliers sell tools for lower-than-usual prices by mail order or even through retail stores. Harbor Freight of California and Northern Tool of Minnesota are two of the leaders. Most of the tools carried by discount tool suppliers come from China, but are sold with limited lifetime warranties.

Professional mechanic Vince Sauberlich thinks that these types of tools might not hold up for daily use in a professional shop, but they do a nice job for amateur restorers. A 20-ton bottle-jack press purchased for $179 through a discount tool store flyer has already saved one hobbyist more than it cost. A $139 transmission jack did a great job removing a transaxle as well.

Many tools are for sale on eBay. One trick in searching for tools on eBay is what to call them. If you’re looking for a crankshaft seal installer, do you search under that description or under the manufacturer’s name, such as Kent-Moore #321567 seal installer? As for being satisfied, if the seller has a good feedback rating, you can be sure you’ll be at least relatively happy with it.

If you see tools on eBay listed with brand names like Pittsburgh Tool, Chicago Electric or Central Pneumatic they are Harbor Freight products that someone has probably purchased on sale and marked up for resale on eBay.

Whether you set out to buy cheap tools or decide to go with the best quality money can buy, it pays to comparison shop, to ask about shipping options and to investigate other ways of saving. You may be able to buy a 4-post lift that was used as a display model at a nearby show or find a tool supplier with perfectly good scratch-and-dent merchandise. If you put your thinking cap on, you’ll save enough money to buy more tools. He with the most tools wins!

John “Gunner” Gunnell is the automotive books editor at Krause Publications in Iola, Wis., and former editor of Old Cars Weekly and Old Cars Price Guide.

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On cars with wire wheels, check for loose spokes by removing one wheel, lay it down and “play” the spokes like a xylophone with the back of a screwdriver. A loose spoke will sound like a bad note. Tighten any that are loose.   
A thin steel kitchen spatula makes a great garage tool. When cut to the proper shape, they’re the perfect strength and thickness to slip alongside a Hurst four-speed shifter to remove the lever mechanism.
When tuning up your collector car, don’t throw the distributor cap away. Some models are getting nearly impossible to find and can sell for hundreds of dollars. In many cases, a new carbon pole that costs about $3 can be used to fix the old cap like new.
When mounting a new under-the-bed spare tire on a pickup, be careful not to damage the rear wiring. We recently had a spare mounted at a discount store. The installer broke the wires. As a result, we drove from Minnesota to Idaho with no rear lights.

• Knockoff wheels evolved in the racing industry and were designed to come off when the racing car was jacked up. Never remove a knock-off wheel from a car with the wheel and tire touching the ground. Jack up the wheel first, and then remove the assembly as designed.
• If you’re working on an engine over a period of time, it’s extremely important to keep dirt out of any openings. While the engine is sitting in the shop, cover all openings with plastic sheeting, plastic bags or shop towels.
• Some collectors that use tubeless tires on earlier cars without “tubeless wheels” like to use tubes in their tires. If you do this, be sure to scrape the plastic tags off the inside of modern tires or they will rub a hole in the tube.
• Like to start your car occasionally in the winter to lube the upper engine? Not a good idea. It actually promotes oil drainage from that area. A better option is to remove the spark plugs once in a while and squirt some oil into each cylinder; then replace plugs.
• On C5 Corvettes, removing front shocks is literally impossible if the tie-rod is attached to the A-arm. Tap the side of the A-arm with a mallet until the tie-rod pops out. You can also use a pickle fork if you don’t damage the rubber boots. An air wrench makes the job easier.
• If your car won’t start and the battery is charged, try tapping the starter while someone holds the key-operated ignition switch in the on position. This may get you home without a service call, but won’t work too much longer. It’s time to buy and install a new starter.
• Need parts for 1960s and newer cars? Try locating some salvage yards in Western states via the Internet. We just got back from a trip to Washington, Oregon and Idaho and discovered that restorers in those states call auto boneyards for rust-free older parts.
• With a dirty or worn ’58-’81 Corvette tranny, it’s possible to engage first and reverse gears at the same time. If this happens, stop the car and pull the shifter out of reverse to keep the car from rolling. Next, carefully reach each under the driver’s side and pull/push two long levers to a vertical position. The car is now in neutral and can be shifted. Next time, come fully out of reverse before engaging first gear.

John “Gunner” Gunnell is the automotive books editor at Krause Publications in Iola, Wis., and former editor of Old Cars Weekly and Old Cars Price Guide.

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Here’s an update to a previous tip on using inexpensive cupcake tins to store/organize small parts during disassembly: Line the cupcake tin with paper baking cups. Write parts descriptions on the liners. When finished, toss out liners and the tin is clean.

 Ever need a longer plastic electrical tie to go around a large-diameter heating duct? Use two electrical ties. Pass pointed end of second one through “buckle” on first one and run it up to end. Then use the two ties as if they’re one tie that’s twice as long.

 A tool (about $30) to extract rounded-head bolts is called a stud puller. It’s round with a wheel inside an offset hole and a socket. Cut off rounded bolt head. Put shank of bolt through hole in tool. Ribbed edge of wheel grabs bolt, and then loosen bolt with socket wrench.

Small plastic clip-type hangers used to display clothing at department stores can usually be had for the asking. You can usually cut off just the clips and use them around your shop. Use a bolt cutter to snip off the clips or cut them off with a Dremel tool.

If the ammeter in your early-’50s British car discharges all the time but the battery stays up, try reversing the connections. These positive-ground cars operate fine with negative-ground but the amps read backwards. Years ago, many were switched to negative ground for radio installation.

Be careful if your car has a long, narrow Group 2E six-volt battery and a metal battery cover. Modern 2E batteries have the posts located further outward than the originals. Sometimes the repositioned post hits the metal covers, causing a short and even fire.

Use shaving cream to find vacuum leaks in lines and around the bases of carburetors. Spray a line of shaving cream around the mating surface. Any leaks present will suck in the foam and reveal their location.

To form a repair panel with a curved or rounded edge, just clamp a pipe of the correct radius to the edge of your work bench. Then you can form the curve you need in the panel around the pipe.

You can use oven cleaner to get baked-on oil off an old engine. Spray it on and let it set for a few hours. You should see good results. But keep oven cleaner off aluminum or soft metal parts. Remember to use rubber gloves and goggles.

Use Scotch-Brite cleaning pads to clean pistons. The soft abrasive cleans effectively without the need for a lot of pressure. These pads are also good for use on cleaned metal parts that have developed light surface rust after being stripped or sanded.

If you need to install piston pins and don’t have a press, try this: Warm the small end of the connecting rod with gentle heat. Then chill the “wrist” pins in your refrigerator. They should just slip in. Mark the spot where you want the rod to seize into the pin with a felt pen.

When temporarily test-fitting an intake manifold to match up the ports, don’t let the gasket stick to the manifold and get ruined. To avoid this, dust the gasket with baby powder. This will keep it from sticking to the manifold.

John “Gunner” Gunnell is the automotive books editor at Krause Publications in Iola, Wis., and former editor of Old Cars Weekly and Old Cars Price Guide.

The post Tech Tips by the Dozen X appeared first on Hagerty Media.

The automatic choke found on most American collector cars is a simple flapper valve in the “throat” of the carburetor. When you close the flap, less air enters the engine. More gas goes in, which is what you want for cold starting.

As the engine warms, the flap opens to let the engine breathe more air. If the choke valve sticks, the mixture will stay rich. Your warmed-up car will be hard to start, run poorly and waste precious gasoline.

A bimetallic spring in the choke housing on the carburetor is connected to the shaft on which the flap rotates. This spring coils tight when cold, causing the shaft to rotate and close the valve. Because the shaft is slightly off center, the valve doesn’t close completely. A slight opening lets in just enough air to create a proper starting mixture. There may also be a choke pull-off piston, operated by the manifold vacuum, that pulls against the spring to open the choke part way.

A tube – or choke stove – will run to the choke housing. As the engine warms to operating temperature, the heat travels up the tube to the bimetallic spring. As the spring heats, it opens the flapper valve even wider, creating a leaner mixture for better hot starting, good gas mileage and proper performance.

Many automatic chokes have rods linking the choke to the throttle. The linkage operates a fast-idle cam that keeps the throttle from closing tight. Speeding up the idle prevents the cold engine from stalling. As the engine warms, the choke opens wider, the cam moves off fast idle, and the idle speed drops.

The cam also helps you start a flooded engine. A flooded engine has too much gas, the mixture is too rich, and the flap is closed tight. But when you press the accelerator all the way to the floor, the cam causes an “unloader” mechanism to open the choke to clear excess gas out of the carburetor. When the car starts, you let off the pedal and the choke goes back to work.

Automatic chokes are engineered with specific bimetallic spring rates, specific cam designs and precise spring tensions. They also require set clearances and adjustments. Nevertheless, in most cases, caring for them is only a matter of cleaning. It’s rare for parts to break or for adjustments to get way out of kilter. Choke-related problems are usually due to gummy gasoline residues or carbon deposits. These are maintenance items that you can take care of with common household tools and chemical cleaners.

• Lay down newspaper on a clean surface or floor. You’ll need a screwdriver, needle-nose pliers, an adjustable crescent wrench, a cleaning solvent, a parts-cleaning brush, several clean rags, some clear plastic food-storage bags, index cards and a coffee can or oil drain tub. For personal protection, wear eye protection, a respirator and latex-free surgical gloves.
• Remove the air cleaner. Use your adjustable wrench to loosen the clamping bolts and put them in a plastic bag. Describe or draw pictures how the clamps fit together on an index card and seal it in the bag with the parts. Write “#1” on this index card. If the car has an oil-bath type air cleaner, don’t tip it or you’ll have an oily mess. Keep it level and carefully lay it aside for now.
• Next, disconnect the choke-stove. Put it in a second bag with your #2 index card description. Using needle-nose pliers, remove the tiny linkage clips (put them in a third bag and don’t lose them). Disconnect the linkage rods at their upper ends. Loosen the screws that hold the choke housing on the carburetor. Put the screws in a bag with a card description.
• Remove the choke housing cover and do the baggie trick again. If it has a thin metal gasket or little mantle-clock-shaped tabs, put them in the same bag. The choke housing itself can be laid on the newspaper. Using your parts-cleaning brush, brush the solvent on the choke housing. In the old days, many mechanics used lacquer thinner or spray gun cleaner as their solvent. Today, some very effective spray-on carburetor cleaners are available. Use the coffee can or tub to catch the solvent you rinse off.
• Work the solvent into all areas. Go through the cleaning process twice, using clean solvent each time. This will prevent contaminated fluid from leaving gummy fuel deposits around the throttle shaft and pull-off piston. Move the piston by hand to force fluid out of the cylinder. Carbon caked on the choke housing is a sign of an engine that burns oil. Normal carbon deposits in carburetor air passages can be cleaned out with a dental pick or by running a drill through it.
• Because you have the air cleaner off the car, it’s a perfect time to clean it. In fact, if it’s scratched or pitted, you may want to sand it down and repaint it. On an oil-bath air cleaner, check the oil level. There will be a mark around the inside of the base section to indicate how high the oil level should be.
• Beginning with the highest-numbered plastic bag, start the job of putting the pieces back together. By proceeding in numerical sequence and following the parts descriptions you wrote on each index card, you should have no trouble re-attaching the clean choke housing and putting the pieces back in it properly. Make sure the housing cover “catches” the bimetallic spring so that it’ll move the flapper valve as it changes temperature.

Experts used to recommend cleaning automatic choke housings every 5,000 miles. In the good old days, that meant about twice a year – usually spring and fall. Though hobbyists drive their cars fewer annual miles, there’s no excuse for not doing this car care at least every spring. Avoiding a sticky choke could save you a lot of gas, which is more important today than it was when these cars were new.

John “Gunner” Gunnell is the automotive books editor at Krause Publications in Iola Wis., and former editor of Old Cars Weekly and Old Cars Price Guide.

The post Avoiding a Sticky Choke appeared first on Hagerty Media.

• Lubrication of old cars was a lot more complicated than today’s 10-minute oil change on newer models. Check your shop manual or an old lube chart to see if the carburetor has to be oiled or if the generator has lubrication cups. Modern shops might not be familiar with these.
• If you’re taking pieces off a car and you want to keep the bolts and screws together with the component, keep a supply of cardboard near. Cut off small pieces, make a hole in the pieces with an awl and screw the fastener in. Your “cardboard nut” will hold it in place.
• Most tools can be hung up in your shop using nylon-plastic electrical ties. If the tool has a hole in the handle, just loop the electrical tie through the hole. If not, loop one electrical tie around the tool and loop a second one through the first to make a hanger.
• Having trouble trying to free a tapered tie-rod end from the steering arm it sets in? Don’t bang directly on the tie-rod end. Instead, use two hammers to tap – at the same time – on opposite sides of the “eye” that the tie-rod end sets in. This will loosen it.
• You can put the open end of a second combination wrench into the circular opening of a first wrench to increase leverage and free a stuck bolt? The open end of the first wrench goes on the bolt and interlocking the wrenches gives you more “unsticking” force.
• Many old cars had provision for oiling generator bearings and the carburetor accelerator pump in the spring and fall. Modern lube shops generally aren’t familiar with these procedures. Check a shop manual for lubrication charts and be sure everything gets oiled.
• If you don’t have a factory service manual for your old car, a number of companies have them available on CDs. One source is www.gearheadcafe.com. Some CDs combine shop and owner manual information. 
• When disassembling leaf springs, use a paint marker to “dot” top of leafs on one side. Draw a stripe across edge of all leafs on same side. The dots help you orient the leaves for reassembly. When you properly line up edge marks, the leafs will be positioned right.
• When re-assembling leaf springs, never pull leafs together using center bolt. Instead, use C-clamps, welding clamps or a press to squeeze leafs together (remember to put dots on one side and line up edge marks). Then, insert the center bolt.
• On late-model collector cars, don’t cut off electrical connectors. Modern wiring harnesses rarely use two of the same style connectors. This eases reassembly because connector can only go one place. If you cut one off, you won’t know where wire goes.
• After spraying paint from an aerosol can, hold can upside down and spray air out of the nozzle to clear passageway. Sometimes nozzle can be removed and cleaned with thinner. Be sure to replace the plastic cap and snap in place for air-tight seal.
• A cardboard mailing tube can save you the trouble of masking off your collector car’s radio antenna when you paint the car. Just telescope the antenna out to a length slightly shorter than the cardboard tube and slip the tube over the antenna.

John “Gunner” Gunnell is the automotive books editor at Krause Publications in Iola, Wis., and former editor of Old Cars Weekly and Old Cars Price Guide.

The post Tech Tips by the Dozen VII appeared first on Hagerty Media.

Now is the perfect time to get your ride ready for the open road. To help it, John Gunnell offers another set of 12 for your garaging pleasure.

• Missing a chisel and hitting your hand with a hammer hurts. Use a chisel and punch-holding tool instead. A screwdriver-like handle threads into a metal loop that the chisel or punch fits in. Tighten against the square corner of loop and the chisel is held with no hands in the way.
• Department stores are happy to give out plastic hangers with clips on both ends. These clips can cut off or sawed off and used in your home restoration shop to hold parts together before assembly or to clip soft trim parts in position before stapling.
• When disassembling a car, keep food bags on hand. Put parts and related fasteners in one bag, write reassembly notes on an index card, number the card, put it in the bag and seal. When reassembling, reverse number order of bags and follow re-assembly notes.
• If your open-end wrench slips on a nut because the corners have been rounded, you may be able to still take it off by wedging the tip of a screwdriver between the flat on the nut and the jaw of the wrench. This will take up the slack and allow normal removal.
• To test whether your paint-spraying gun is working properly, get an old piece of glass and spray some test patterns on it. When the paint is dry, hold the glass up to the light. You’ll be able to look through the test spray and see paint patterns and thicknesses.
• If you’re interested in keeping your shop as clean as possible, plan to put tools, equipment, workbenches, cars and other restoration aids on dollies or casters so they can easily be moved for cleaning. This also avoids items “piling up” in corners.
• To check for a clogged PCV valve, locate the valve and the rubber hose running to the valve cover or crankcase that attaches to it. Pinch the hose with needle-nose pliers. The engine idle should drop 60-100 rpm. If there’s no drop, the PCV valve is probably bad.
• 1950s and earlier cars require maintenance steps that many modern lube shops miss today. The generator probably has oil cups on each end. The carburetor may have oiling provisions. When greasing and oiling, be sure to follow the shop manual instructions.
• To replace a full-circle lip seal in the timing cover, around the front of the crankshaft, grease the seal. Then find a pipe, tube or large wrench socket with an outside diameter slightly smaller than the seal. Use this to drive the seal in place. Be careful not to cock it.
• Use an anti-seize compound on the treads of your car’s brake bleeder screws, as they have a high potential of rusting due to exposure to road salt and grime. Also, a light coat of grease on rubber brake hoses will keep them from drying out and cracking.
• Check swap meets and old garage sales for beam-type torque wrenches that may be out of calibration and cheap. They still make a fine tool for removing bolts that are over-tight or stuck. (Never use a good torque wrench for this purpose, as it will ruin the calibration).
• Check the latest Sears Craftsman tool catalog for neat ideas. For example, sockets with a solid hex back that fit into a ratching wrench, which then turns into a low-profile socket wrench. Also, visit www.craftsman.com to join their tool club offering member discounts on their tools.

John “Gunner” Gunnell is the automotive books editor at Krause Publications in Iola, Wis., and former editor of Old Cars Weekly and Old Cars Price Guide.

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With springtime coming, you’ll be spending more time in your workshop getting your vehicles ready for the car show and cruise season. It’s a great time to protect against two “open invitations” for accidents. First, if you haven’t worked in the shop for months, you might find yourself making mistakes due to lack of familiarity with tools and equipment. On the other hand, if the shop is heated and you’ve been working in it all winter, you may find yourself getting complacent about safety precautions because nothing wrong has happened so far.

To avoid accidents in the shop, always keep your guard up. Refresh your tool and equipment skills by re-reading their instruction sheets. Do a check of the shop: Look over all wiring, make sure there are no burned-out light bulbs, check your fire extinguisher to be sure it works, take out any rubbish that accumulated over the winter months and eliminate as much clutter as you can. Most importantly, review all the procedures you follow in your shop and try to eliminate sloppy or potentially dangerous practices.

Many of you probably have a grinding machine, which may include a buffer wheel or a wire wheel. While grinder safety seems like a minor concern to restorers who cut, chop and weld, a small grinder can cause big problems. (Remember, it’s usually when you let your guard down when accidents occur).

When buffing or grinding, avoid wearing loose-fitting clothing and jewelry. A hanging sleeve or wristwatch can easily get caught in the spinning machine. Wear a hat, hairnet or shop helmet to keep long hair out of the machine’s way.

Things that get caught in a wheel can fly pretty far. The operator should at least wear safety glasses, but a full-face shield is even better. Work gloves or mechanic’s gloves are a must for jobs like this. For about $25, mechanic’s gloves may seem expensive – until they save your hand.

Your grinding wheel should be equipped with a tool rest and a glass shield. When grinding, the tool rest should be within a 16^th of an inch from the surface of the wheel. Do not grind anything against the sides of the wheel, only the edge. Go slow and easy – don’t jam your work into the grinder. It may get snagged and go flying across your shop or, even worse, fly back and hit you.

Grinding wheels make sparks and sparks can cause fires or even explosions. Be sure that combustibles in your shop are stored far from any type of spark. Do not permit smoking in your shop. Cigarettes can cause explosions too. Buy an oily-rag can with a flip-up lid. They cost about $20 in discount tool stores. They work great and look just right in a home shop. Old batteries emit explosive hydrogen gas – don’t store them near a grinder throwing sparks.

Don’t store oxygen or welding gas near ignition sources in your shop. Wherever you store “bottles” of gas, close the valves tightly when the cylinders are not in use.

Home shops often have dozens of other tools for special jobs. Make sure that the safety guards on all of them are used. If they’re powered by electricity, check for frayed cords and damaged plugs. You should keep a maintenance checklist for machines that require periodic oiling or service. You can use long electrical ties to attach a card with the maintenance schedule printed on it right to each machine. Inspect the condition of abrasive wheels and cutters. If they need replacing or sharpening, do it now, at the start of the season.

Housekeeping counts. A floor littered with tools and jack stands is an invitation to trip and break your neck. If you’re hopping over cords and hoses each time you walk across the shop, you may need some reels to organize them. You can get manual reels in a discount tool store for as little as $15 and the coil type starts at about $35.

The personal protection equipment you should have in your shop includes cloth and leather work gloves, mechanic’s gloves, nitrile gloves for chemical and paint handling, latex-free examination gloves, goggles, safety glasses, full-face shield, ear plugs, ear muffs, face mask and a respirator. If you weld, you’ll need a welding helmet. You can buy the self-darkening style on eBay for about $40–$50.

If you use chains or cables for lifting or securing vehicles and heavy parts like engines, they should be checked each spring. The chains, no matter how heavy, may have damaged or broken links that can snap under pressure. Frayed cables can also snap. Cables may also develop light rust, in which case you should spray them with silicone.

Also make sure your hydraulic jacks are filled with fluid. Never slide under a vehicle supported only by the hydraulic jack. Use jack stands to support it. Use more than you think you need and make sure they are positioned to support the car or truck securely. You can try 4×4 wood cribbing for support; just cut the cribbing blocks about 3-feet long and nail rope handles on one end to make them easy to carry.

If you have a two- or four-post lift in your shop, don’t assume it’s maintenance-free. The cables used for lifting are supposed to be sprayed with silicone every month. You should also check the electric motor to make sure it’s filled to the right level with the proper fluid (usually automatic transmission fluid). If you’re lift isn’t powder-coated, abrasions and chemicals may have caused paint damage since last year. Think about applying new paint before the metal starts rusting.

John “Gunner” Gunnell is the automotive books editor at Krause Publications in Iola, Wis., and former editor of Old Cars Weekly and Old Cars Price Guide.

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If you’re a tool junkie like me, the first New Year’s resolution on your list for 2006 is probably to find a better way to organize your tools. You can run out and buy that Carroll Shelby signature edition three-stacker tool chest for about $3,500 or you can put about $350 aside to build a tool board for your garage or shop. When you’ve finished your tool board, you’ll be able to find whatever tool you need at a glance, know which tools are missing, and have a tool organizer with a funky old-fashioned look that complements the classic styling of your car.

Properly designed and built tool board is like a piece of automotive art. It’s much more than a piece of pegboard and some snap-in-place hooks. Pegboard might work in an ordinary person’s garage, but it wouldn’t survive very well in the shop of a serious restorer. First, pegboard tends to warp fairly easily. Second, it’s a material that naturally collects dirt and doesn’t clean well when it gets dirty. Third, a heavy breaker bar, a large pipe wrench or a sledge hammer hung on pegboard can break the fiberboard or even bend the hooks. A pegboard looks nice the day it’s first hung, but usually doesn’t look the same a year later.

That’s why mechanics prefer a tool board. In fact, they are often seen in schools where mechanics learn their trade. McPherson College, in McPherson, Kansas, is nationally known as the only school that offers a bachelor’s degree in Automotive Restoration Technology. And McPherson has a nice assortment of tool boards. The mechanics at the Mercedes-Benz Classic Center in Stuttgart, Germany, also have tool boards in their shop. In fact, some of them are built like folding cabinets and roll on wheels.

Bill Kroseberg, an Automotive Technology instructor at WaupacaHigh School in Waupaca, Wisconsin , says that the tool board in his shop is a big help in teaching students the importance of putting tools back in their proper place after a job is done. “Students also learn how to pick the proper tool for the job,” says Kroseberg. “With a tool board, they can get an idea of just how many different tools are available.”

In a home shop, standard 4×8 sheets of ½-inch ACX plywood will do fine. This type of plywood is a bit smoother on one side for a nice look. You’ll want to stain it with an oil satin poly-coating. Molding to frame the edges of the tool board is optional.

If you know the spacing of the studs in your garage or shop, you can attach the stained plywood panels to the walls by driving 2 ½-inch course drywall screws into the studs. If you can’t find the studs, wall anchors will be a good idea. The tool board will be carrying a lot of weight and needs to be securely attached. If your shop has wood or concrete walls, different attaching methods will be required. Check with the experts at your building supply store.

If you’re going to frame your tool board with molding, it can be attached with good quality wood glue. You may want to use small finishing nails to make sure it’s securely attached. Drill guide holes before nailing, as wood molding splits easily. Using a miter box to get frame-type corners is a nice touch if you’re going for appearances.

Once the wood paneling is prepped and mounted on the wall, the fun begins. Many methods can be used to build shelves and racks that hold different tools on the board. Many tools like box-end wrenches and C-clamps can simply be hung on nails. Small shelves can be made from lumber for other tools. A set including different size hole saws that attach to your drill can be purchased for $6 or $7. You can cut the proper size holes in your shelves to hang screwdrivers, files, socket wrenches, pliers and other tools.

Many tools sold today come in their own plastic cases or holders that can be mounted directly to the tool board with drywall screws. In fact, it’s common for plastic cases to have keyhole-shaped slots on the back. The wider portion of the slot (on the bottom) fits over the head of a screw, and then you pull it down so the narrow portion is locked into place by the screw head. Tools such as punches and chisels come in pocket pouches that you can mount directly to the tool board with screws. When doing this, be sure to drill guide holes to try to keep the plywood from splitting.

Tools such as open-end wrenches, socket extensions, ball-joint separators and pry bars can be attached to the tool board with store-bought spring clips. Hammers can be hung through holes drilled in a wood shelf. Socket wrenches can be attached to store-bought organizer bars that can then be attached to wooden shelves. The organizers usually have holes on one or both ends to slip over nails. On the other end, you can use a loop or bracket to hold the handle of the organizer bar.

Planning the arrangement of tools on your tool board is an important part of building one if you want everything to be organized when you’re done. If you can find a school or business in your area that uses a tool board, call for a visit to check it out. Seeing how it’s organized will help you plan better when building your own.

Some tool boards have outlines of tools painted on the board. These images come in handy when a tool is missing. “The shop teacher can tell at a glance when a student forgot to put a tool back,” says Kroseberg. “That’s one thing we didn’t do when we built our tool board and I’ve always regretted that – it’s a very nice touch.”

Building a tool board isn’t a quick project; it’s a job that takes a lot of thought – a job you can savor for weeks while the snow is falling. And by the time your ready to give your collector car its spring service, your tool board will be done and you’ll be glad you’re organized.

John “Gunner” Gunnell is the automotive books editor at Krause Publications in Iola, Wis., and former editor of Old Cars Weekly and Old Cars Price Guide.

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Tighten to loosen? You bet!

1. Removing a steering wheel or anything else that is splined can be made easier by first tightening the nut before trying to loosen the object. By tightening, the object moves slightly on the splines and breaks any corrosion that has formed, making it easier to remove.
2. Distilled water jugs with plastic “faucets” on the bottom make great containers for fluids such as windshield washer fluid. You’ll be able to hold the jug over the windshield washer fluid reservoir and fill it without spilling a single drop.
3. Does your place of work cater in food from the local sandwich shop? If so, help the clean-up crew get rid of the clear plastic lids used on the platters. They make great throwaway drip pans for oil and other fluids.
4. A TD owner in an MG club fixed leaky SU carbs by replacing original cork gland washers with small (1/4” ID x 1/16“ thick) neoprene O-rings. He advises brass cup washers must go “cup up” for upper washer and “cup down” for lower.
5. Protective rubber floor mats trap rust-causing moisture beneath them. You won’t need floor mats in your collector car during winter storage, so remove them until the car is used again. Do not put them in the trunk; store them outside the car.
6. For a quick test to determine if spark plug wires are good, run your car in a darkened shop or outside on a dark night. Lift the hood slightly and peek into the engine compartment. Flashes of electrical light along the wires indicate leaks.
7. After carefully spraying rust remover on a metal part, put the part in a plastic bag and seal it with a baggie tie. The rust remover will stay active for a longer length of time in the sealed environment and do a much better job of dissolving the rust.
8. To find a leaky spark plug wire, use a simple electrical test light. Get a test light that matches the car’s voltage. Ground the clip on the wire to the car or engine and run the tip along the plug wire. If the lamp lights, you’ve found a voltage leak.
9. A product called “Pensbury Manor Black Hard Rubber Pen Potion No. 9 – Black Hard Rubber Dye” – developed to restore fountain pens – can be used to restore the glossy look of the black bakelite plastic parts used on classic cars. (www.pensburymanor.com.)
10. Do not paint a radiator with more than a light coat of paint. Heavier coatings will prevent the core from working properly. Special thin black radiator paint is available from Eastwood (www.eastwoodco.com/). It works great on radiators – and also on model cars!
11. Using a hammer to drive bearings into a cross-shaped universal joint can cock the rollers in the pillow blocks, which will cause early failure. Instead, use a heavy C-clamp to slowly and uniformly press the bearings into their proper positions.
12. Having trouble removing a brake drum held on by rust? Bolt the wheel and tire back on, and tap around the outside of the tire with a mallet. Loosen them again and the drum migh come right off.

John “Gunner” Gunnell is the automotive books editor at Krause Publications in Iola, Wis., and former editor of Old Cars Weekly and Old Cars Price Guide.

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Summertime is a great time to work on cars. Before you pick up a screwdriver or wrench, the first step is to get your workshop in order. You can’t work efficiently or safely in a sloppy shop, so here are a dozen rules for improving your workshop environment:

1. No matter how small or large, the space should be devoted to one purpose only. Clear out toys, lawn furniture and garden tools. An inexpensive storage shed can give such items their own nice home.
2. Every shop needs a good, sturdy workbench. Commercial versions are available. Your local building supply store should have inexpensive kits to build a simple-but-sturdy wooden workbench.
3. Stacking things on the floor leads to clutter. Hang tools on the wall or keep spare parts in overhead storage bins to clear floor space.
4. Pegboard is the car restorer’s friend. Plaster the walls with it, insert hooks and hang up your tools and equipment. Tools arranged neatly on pegboard are handier than those dumped in a toolbox.
5. Keep plenty of trashcans in your garage, shop or building. As you work on different projects throughout your workshop, having a trashcan nearby is the best way to prevent clutter.
6. Shelves keep clutter off the floor and provide additional storage space for parts, tools, supplies and equipment. If you’re mounting shelves on a wall, anchor them well. Inexpensive steel and plastic shelving always seems to be on sale. Tip: Don’t buy the cheapest shelving in the store; quality counts.
7. Small parts roll off shelves. Look for cheap containers that fit on your shelves. You may find sturdy cardboard photocopy-paper boxes with lids available where you work. Cleaned plastic peanut butter jars are great for storing nuts and bolts. Cupcake tins are great for organizing small parts.
8. When it comes to equipment, long-lasting items like engine hoists, jack stands, engine stands, vises, etc. can often be found at auctions, garage sales, liquidators or on eBay in “good used” or “remanufactured” condition. Several national catalogs also offer remanufactured tools.
9. Equip your workshop with safety gloves, safety goggles, earplugs, shop aprons, coveralls, face masks and sturdy work boots. Adequate ventilation is important, too. Keep a box of rubber gloves handy. A first-aid kit is also a must-have item.
10. An old radio or TV will humanize your workplace and break the monotony. You might not know who’s winning the football game, but the sound of a human voice is still good company and keeps you alert in the garage.
11. Buy several sizes of sandwich bags and keep them in your shop. As you disassemble a car, put the small parts in the bags. Toss in a note or sketch that will help you identify the parts inside for reassembly. The bags will keep small parts from rolling and getting lost.
12. Go in with a plan. Be organized right from the start. If you put parts in a plastic storage cabinet, label the drawer as soon as you fill it.

John “Gunner” Gunnell is the automotive books editor at Krause Publications in Iola, Wis., and former editor of Old Cars Weekly and Old Cars Price Guide.

The post Improving Your Workshop appeared first on Hagerty Media.

Despite all the care and attention you lavish on your “baby,” there’s a good chance it might leave you stranded on the side of the road someday. It’s sad, but true – a classic vehicle is six times more likely to breakdown than a newer model.

As you’ll never be sure when or where this misfortune may strike, take the advice of nearly 10,000 fellow enthusiasts and carry an emergency kit. Based on their responses in the 2004 Hagerty Protection Network survey, here are the top five items your car’s trunk should never be without:

1. A Tool Kit: This can be custom-designed based on your car’s particular quirks, but a basic one should include flat and Phillips head screwdrivers, pliers, vise grips and an adjustable wrench.
2. A Flashlight: You can’t fix it if you can’t see it, so a flashlight is essential if you break down at night as well as helpful for illuminating hard-to-see regions under the hood anytime. It helps to have someone hold the flashlight while you work, so if you often travel sans passenger, you might want to invest in a headlamp.
3. A Cell Phone: If the problem at hand is beyond fixing on the side of the road, you’ll need to call for backup. With a cell phone you can call for assistance without having to trek to the nearest pay phone.
4. A Fire Extinguisher: A fire can quickly devastate your car and place you in serious danger, so you should always carry a fire extinguisher – it could mean the difference between a minor claim and a total loss.
5. Spare Fluids: If your car springs a sudden leak, or if you’re having too much fun cruising to stop for gas, some spare fluids might come in handy. Consider carrying two quarts of oil, a couple gallons of gas and some coolant for roadside emergencies.

We realize that trunk space can be at a minimum, so these are just a few of the items that could come in handy if you break down. Other things to consider include jumper cables, extra fuses, a first-aid kit, flares or caution signs, a blanket, food and water, and batteries.

Consider adding or subtracting to your kit based on the problems your car is prone to, the length and location of your trip, and the season in which you’re driving.

Watch for more Network Hobby survey results coming in future articles.

The post What to Include in an Emergency Kit appeared first on Hagerty Media.

Still searching for that perfect gift for the car enthusiast in your life? We’ve compiled a list of some neat gifts that we think are tops this year. Want a little something for yourself? Hey, why not? There’s plenty of websites to sift through to find anything from brake rotor magnets to vintage-style stereos. You’ll also find more selections in Protection on Wheels, which will be in your mailbox soon.

Shop Stools
These stools come with all kinds of car logos and are a very popular item. Stools are 30 inches high counter stools (with or without backs). Prices start at $89.95. By Garden of Speedin’, www.gardenofspeedin.com.

Heated Lumbar Support
If you need a little warmth for your drive, look at this! It’s a heated leather-covered lumbar support that’s also adjustable. The unit plugs into a cigarette lighter. Price: $99.99. Go to www.griotsgarage.com and see what’s new.

Starter Car Care Kit
Winter is a great time for cleaning and detailing. Kit includes car wash and wheel cleaner, paint cleaning clay, Best of Show wax, Speed Shine, and Vinyl and Rubber Dressing. $59.99. Visit www.griotsgarage.com.

Mini Toolbox
Organize your desk and clean up the clutter. The mini toolbox is constructed of heavy duty steel and is bent and spot-welded to create an authentic replica of a professional toolbox. Price: $34.95. Visit www.bustedknucklegarage.com.

Vintage-Style Car Stereos
Check out these new stereos that look like your old radio but have AM/FM, cassette players or are CD changer ready. Stereos come in many styles and features that fit into hundreds of cars and trucks without any dash modification. Price varies. There are plenty of other collectibles at Garden of Speedin’. Visit www.gardenofspeedin.com.

Vintage Signs
Original vintage gas pumps, signs and clocks are only a few of the vintage items Fill-er-up lists. Dad’s Garage sign can be purchased with or without the clock. Price: $169 with clock; $139 without. Go to www.fill-er-up.com to see what else is offered.

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